Daddy Phantom
by la periodista
Summary: As an experiment to see if she and Danny are ready to be parents, Sam agrees to take care of Jazz's kids for the weekend. After all, how much trouble could they be? Only a whole lot! Ch. 11 added!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, all! I've been trying to come up with some new stories lately, and I hope this one is more successful. I started it a couple months ago, but left it alone until yesterday, because I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to post it. So, without further ado, here it is!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own and aspects of the _Danny Phantom_ series.**

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"Jazz, are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked my sister-in-law.

"Don't worry, Sam. Danny insists on spending more time with his niece and nephew. And then both of you should finally know for sure if you're ready to be parents."

"Okay, go ahead and bring them over," I sighed, hanging up.

Okay, so maybe I'd best explain. You see, it all started eight years ago, when Daniel Fenton and I, Samantha Fenton, were both fifteen. I was still Sam Manson then, and Danny and I loved each other very much, but neither of us knew it. Until one fateful day over the summer between ninth and tenth grade. There was a ghost fight, and Danny, the human-ghost hybrid that he is, had to save our hometown of Amity Park- again. And myself and our other best friend, Tucker Foley, acted as his sidekicks.

After the fight, Tucker went home, while I stayed to tend to Danny and his minor wounds. Who would've thought that the two of us alone in his room could've led us to this point?

No, it is NOT what you think. We just confessed our feelings for each other, and kissed... a lot. And we've been inseparable ever since. And now, it's been two years since we graduated college, and a year since we married.

And during the course of that time, Danny's older sister, Jasmine, also fell in love- with Dash Baxter, Casper High's Big Man on Campus, of all people. Dash suffered an injury ending his football career when he was only sixteen, and realized that unless he wanted to waste away the rest of his life at the Nasty Burger, he'd best get serious about school. Jazz was the only one willing to help, having tutored him when she was sixteen and he was fourteen. They, too, got married, after she got her Bachelor's in Psychology, and he, surprisingly, received an Associate's in Graphic Design. Now he works from home, while Jazz attends graduate school and interns for a therapist.

And that brings me to today. Jazz and Dash married nearly four years ago, and have two wonderful children, a three-year-old daughter and a nine-month-old son. Since Dash cares for the kids, Jazz has managed to stay in school. But now that it's summer vacation, Dash and Jazz want to go away for the weekend, by themselves. When they do, Jazz and Danny's parents, Jack and Maddie Fenton, usually watch the kids.

But Jazz, knowing that Danny and I want children of our own at some point, came up with the brilliant idea of leaving our niece and nephew with us for the weekend. So when Danny gets home from his job as head of security at Axiom Labs, he'll be greeted not just by his loving wife, but two precious surprises- a toddler and an infant.

I straightened up the house and placed some clean sheets on the twin bed in one of the guest rooms. Jazz and Dash would be by that afternoon to drop off the kids and their supplies.

Once that was done, I made myself a small salad for lunch. Nervous about the weekend, I wasn't feeling particularly hungry. After I finished eating, I really got to thinking about the weekend that lied ahead. Just what had I gotten myself into, taking on an infant and a toddler for two nights, without even consulting my husband?

But then I remembered there was a very important reason for doing this. I agreed to go along with Jazz under the guise that I wanted to see if Danny and I are ready to be parents. But the thing is, I sort of missed my period a couple weeks ago...

The doorbell rang, interrupting that train of thought. _Damn, they're here already?_ I mused, getting up to answer the door. My niece immediately squealed and started clinging to my legs.

"Hey, Michelle," I smiled down at her, bending over and patting her head affectionately. I managed to scoot out of the way, with her standing on my feet, so that I could let her parents in.

Jazz was holding Michelle's little brother, Jack (named after my father-in-law), in one arm, and carrying his diaper bag and Michelle's suitcase with her free hand. Dash was right behind her, carrying a portable playpen, which he'd collapsed to fit in the trunk of the car.

I gestured for them to set the things in the guest room; I could organize them later. Once that was done, I finally managed to pry Michelle away from my legs, picking her up and carrying her to the couch. I sat down next to Jazz, who was still holding Jack, and plucked Michelle into my lap.

Jazz managed to dig a list out of her purse and began to read off of it. "Michelle and Jack usually go down for their nap right after lunch. Michelle typically sleeps about an hour, while I'll let Jack sleep for about two hours before waking him up. I don't want him to sleep too long during his nap, or he'll want to be up all night. And I brought plenty of clean clothes and diapers for him, along with some bottles, and formula, and baby food, and a list of emergency numbers-"

"Jazz, sweetie, I'm sure Sam can work it out," Dash interrupted. "Just give her the list, so we can get going. We're supposed to check in at the hotel by five."

"Okay, okay," Jazz conceded. She stood up and kissed Jack good-bye before handing him to Dash to be put down for his nap. Then she knelt down next to me, looking at Michelle.

"Honey, you be good for Auntie Sam and Uncle Danny," she told her. "Mommy and Daddy will be back in two days, okay? We love you and your brother so much, and we'll miss you both."

"Okay, Mommy," Michelle murmured. She spoke quite clearly for her age.

Dash and Jazz bid good-bye to their daughter, getting her settled into the twin bed I'd made up for her. I walked them to the front door and hugged them, telling them to have fun and relax. They told me they'd call when they got to the hotel, and probably once or twice a day to check how things were going. And then they were off.

I was just about to shut the door when I heard a car pull into the driveway. Danny.

I closed the front door and went out to meet him as he opened the garage and pulled into it.

"Hey, you," he greeted me, with a smile and a long kiss.

"Hey hot stuff," I teased him. "How was your day?"

"Wonderful, but coming home to you is still the best part," he grinned, getting a look in his eyes. Wow, was he in for a shock.

"Oh, stop it, you're making me blush," I admitted, playfully punching his shoulder.

"Oh, by the way, was that Dash and Sam I just saw? What were they doing here? Is everything alright?"

"Well, about that..." My voice trailed off as I tried to figure out the best way to break it to him. I drew a deep breath and decided it was best to just spill the beans already. "You see, Danny, Jazz called me and told me that she and Dash finally have some time off together, and they wanted to spend the weekend alone, just the two of them. So I agreed to take care of Michelle and Jack this weekend, and they just dropped them off. I figured it would give the both of us a chance to spend some quality time with the kids."

"Okay, wait a second," Danny said. "Am I hearing things, or did you just say that we're going to take care of two kids under three years old for two nights, and this was a last-minute decision of yours that didn't involve consulting me at all?"

"Danny, I'm so sorry. It's just, you and I both know how hard it can be to have some alone time with each other, and we don't even have kids yet. I mean, I felt so bad for Jazz and Dash, always working and stuff. And you've been saying that you want to get closer to the kids, so I figured this was the perfect opportunity."

Danny's smile broadened, much to my surprise. "Thank you so much," he grinned, kissing me. "You're so wonderful, Sam, agreeing to such a last-minute thing. I know my sister and Dash appreciate this very much."

I hugged Danny to me, and when we separated, we finally went into the house, shutting the big garage door. Danny immediately went to check on the kids, who were both sleeping soundly.

"They look so cute," he smiled.

"Don't let it fool you," I teased. "Taking care of them isn't going to be as easy as it looks. Because this time, when they start crying, we'll have to be the ones to tend to them, instead of telling them good-bye and leaving it up to their parents."

"Oh, come on, Sammy, how hard can it be? They'll probably sleep most of the day. All we'll have to do is check on them every so often while they sleep, and feed them, and bathe them, and dress them."

"And entertain them, and make sure Michelle doesn't pester her brother, and that she doesn't wet herself, and change Jack's diapers..." I added.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Danny sighed. "Hey, do you mind getting me something to eat? I'm starved."

"Oh, the hollow leg again?" I joked, making my way to the kitchen to make him a snack. As I prepared it, he went to our bedroom to change out of his work uniform. _Too bad. He looks so sexy in that uniform_, I thought. _Wait a second. I'd better control my urges, with those kids around. Don't want things to get out of hand._

Danny came out in jeans and a t-shirt, and I handed him a sandwich. He sat at the table and devoured it as he looked at the TV listings for that night.

"Hey, Sammy, you want to watch some horror movies later? There's a marathon starting at nine tonight."

"Well, the kids will be in bed then, so I suppose we could," I agreed.

"I can think of some other things to do once the kids are in bed," he said with a wink.

"Danny..." I warned.

In answer, he put down the newspaper and got up from the table. He put his plate in the sink and came over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "You know, I don't think that I thanked you for the sandwich yet," he grinned, his eyes flashing green.

I stared up at him, closing the distance between us to kiss him. He dipped me back and deepened the kiss.

"Okay, okay, you convinced me," I said with a giggle once we broke apart.

Danny scooped me up and carried me down the hall, stopping to peek in on the kids before continuing to our bedroom. He laid me on the bed before shutting the door quietly behind us.

He crawled into bed next to me, and his hands flew to my blouse, while his lips went to my neck. As he began to have his way with me, I heard a creaking sound. My eyes widened as I realized our niece was in the doorway, watching us.

"Auntie Sam, are you feeding Uncle Danny?" Michelle asked, before I could say anything.

Danny was so shocked he nearly fell out of bed, but he caught himself and reached for my shirt, as I hurriedly pulled the sheet up to cover myself. This was going to be a long weekend...

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**Please review! Many thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, all, and welcome to the second chapter! Thank you to my reviewers-Phantom101; Beyonce's Angel925; PhantomsAngelS2; Summers Rage; rage.entertains.the.masses; Centaurgurl08; MCR Rocks; Yami-chan and Unrealistic; kpfan74921; Anonymous Reader13; Danny-Phantoms-Future-Wife; and BeTrAyEd DaUgHtErS.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Danny Phantom_ series, in whole or in part.**

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"Michelle, honey, go back to bed. Auntie Sam and Uncle Danny are playing a game right now, and we...have to see who wins. And if you're still awake when we finish, then we'll let you stay up with us," I told my niece, my face hot from blushing. The only good thing about the situation was that since she was barely three, she'd probably forget what she'd seen before her parents got back on Sunday.

Michelle obediently went back to the bedroom, and I heard her slide back onto the mattress. I got up and shut the door, making sure it was locked this time. Danny handed me my blouse, and I hurriedly put it on, then adjusted my jeans and brushed my hair.

Danny, his face even redder than mine, finally collected himself. He took several deep breaths before looking up at me. As our eyes locked, we burst out laughing.

"I can't believe she saw us," he chuckled. "And that she thought you were feeding me."

"Well, she's only three. She probably thought that because that's how Jack still gets fed some of the time. I don't think she quite understands that that's only meant for babies."

"You know, I noticed that you kind of hissed as if you were a little...sensitive there. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Danny. Sometimes I get a little tender after I ovulate, so that's probably all it is," I said, knowing it was probably something else.

"Okay, Sammy," he smiled lovingly, giving me a kiss. "Sorry if I hurt you."

"Hey, no problem. Now, we'd better go check on Michelle, and make sure she didn't wake Jack. I haven't heard him crying, but Jazz told me that a lot of times he'll just fuss so quietly that she doesn't always hear him right away."

Danny and I went to check on the kids, and found that Jack was still asleep, but Michelle was awake. We allowed her to come into the living room and watch a TV show for kids, while we talked in the kitchen.

Danny and I decided to take the kids out for dinner. We'd been out with them before, when Jazz and Dash were around, and despite their ages, both of them behaved surprisingly well. Jack could easily eat some dry cereal without making a mess, and Michelle had good table manners for a toddler. She was one of those kids that would eat pretty quietly, instead of running around and making a lot of noise, or throwing her food, or otherwise behaving obnoxiously.

"Well, I'm going to go take a nice, hot shower and get ready to go," Danny told me. He then lowered his voice. "Too bad you can't join me," he added.

"Just you wait until Sunday," I said with a wink.

Danny kissed me before going down the hall to our bedroom. A moment later, I heard him close the door and turn on the water. I got up from the table and went to the living room to talk to my niece.

"Michelle, honey, how would you like to go out to dinner with me, and Uncle Danny, and your brother?"

"Yay!" she cheered, getting up to hug me. I scooped her up and gave her a kiss on the cheek before putting her back down. Then I turned off the TV and asked her to come down the hall with me, so I could help her get ready to go.

"Auntie Sam, can I wear a dressy pweeze?" she asked, smiling shyly.

"Of course, sweetheart. How about I open your suitcase for you, and you pick out the dress you want."

"Okay."

Michelle picked out a white sundress with pink and blue flowers. I helped her change into it, then brushed her strawberry-blonde hair, putting it into two braids.

"Thank you, Auntie Sam," she said, kissing my cheek and hugging me.

"You're welcome, honey. Now how about you take your dolly to the living room and play for a few minutes, while I get your brother ready."

"Okay."

I went to Jack's playpen and awoke him. He fussed for a moment, but calmed down once I had him securely laying against my shoulder. I ruffled his blond hair affectionately before laying him on a blanket on the floor to change his diaper. I then dressed him in a t-shirt and overalls; it was a warm night, but he was young enough that I feared him catching a chill.

Danny came out into the living room awhile later, at which time I went to change. I really had no reason to, except that I just felt like it. I kept my jeans on, but changed from my blouse into a tank top, and swapped my flats for sandals. After I fixed my hair again and re-applied some of my makeup, we were at last ready to go.

We went to a pizza parlor, arriving there just in time to beat the dinner rush somewhat. After we placed our orders, Danny stayed at the table with Jack while I took Michelle to the little arcade section to help her play games and collect tickets. Big mistake.

Within a few minutes, Michelle was already pouting, having not gotten as many tickets as she had hoped from the game we'd just played. Sensing a tantrum coming on, I insisted on going back to the table, telling her that after we ate, we could try our luck again. As I grabbed her hand to lead her back, she instantly started dragging her feet.

Trying to keep my calm, I knelt down to her level to talk to her. "Michelle, honey, I know you're disappointed, but sometimes things just happen that way. But, like I said, we can try again after we eat, and maybe we'll do better. And we can also go to spend your tickets after dinner, so you can get some prizes."

"But I don't want to wait!" she pouted.

"But, sweetie, you have to."

"Why?"

"Because our dinner will be ready soon."

"Why?"

"Because Uncle Danny and I ordered some pizza, remember?"

"Why?"

"Because we're so happy to have your brother and I visiting us, we want to celebrate?"

"Why?"

"Because we love you."

"But I don't want pizza," she whined. "I want a hamburger."

"I thought you liked pizza."

"I don't want it!" she nearly screamed.

"Michelle," I said in a warning tone, standing back up and tugging her hand. She yanked her hand away and just stood there, her arms folded.

Embarrassed, I picked her up and carried her back to our table. She struggled a little at first, but finally stopped fighting me when I seated her in her booster seat and buckled her in.

"And how's my pretty little niece?" Danny smiled warmly at her.

"I want a burger," she mumbled grumpily. "But Auntie Sam said no."

"Well, our pizza will be here soon."

"I don't want pizza!"

"Michelle, sweetie calm down. We got you a special meal, remember?" Danny said calmly, giving me a sympathetic look, as he could tell that this hadn't just started upon getting back to the table. "It would really mean a lot to us if you eat it, okay?"

"Okay," she answered, sticking out her bottom lip.

Michelle did eat her food, and much to our relief, the smile returned to her face.

"That was yummy!" she proclaimed after swallowing her last bite of food. "I want more."

"You had plenty, Michelle," I told her. "Don't you want to go play some more games?"

"I'm hungry!" she raised her voice. Although I was looking directly at her, I could sense people turning around to glare at us.

Danny and I looked at each other and decided it would be best to leave as soon as possible. Just as he reached to take the bowl of cereal off of the tray attached to Jack's high chair, Jack picked it up and threw it onto the floor, scattering cereal all over. At least there wasn't milk in the bowl.

Danny sighed and bent over to clean up the mess, while Michelle just laughed. "Jack's funny!" she squealed. The excitement in her voice caused her brother to giggle and clap his hands.

Once Danny picked up the cereal, he dropped it onto the now-empty pizza pan to be cleared from the table. He then got up to remove Michelle from her booster seat. And of course she dare not put up a struggle.

We gathered up the rest of our things, and I removed Jack from his high chair, carrying him to the car, while Danny carried Michelle. We put them in their car seats and before getting settled into the front, and Danny started the car and carefully backed out of the parking spot. By the time we got home, both kids were asleep.

It was getting late, so we put Jack straight to bed. But Michelle woke up when Danny attempted to remove her from the car, and, apparently sensing that she would be going to bed soon, began to whine.

"I'm not sleepy," she insisted, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Yes, you are," Danny made the mistake of saying.

"I'm not!"

"Well, your mom told me that you are to go to bed at a certain time," he informed her. "Either you can behave like a big girl and hear a story first, or you can continue acting like this and go straight to bed."

His talk worked like a charm. We were able to get her ready and into bed without her putting up a fight. We read to her as quietly as possible, since Jack was already sleeping, before tucking her in and kissing her forehead.

"Good night," we said in unison.

"Good night," she mumbled sleepily.

We put the book away before leaving the room, closing the door most of the way behind us.

"Note to self: Eat at home for rest of weekend," Danny sighed, as he sat on the couch, pulling me into his lap.

"That was an adventure," I said. "But at least they should sleep through the night, since they had plenty to eat and were pretty active."

"Yeah, I hope so. They're adorable kids, but man, can they cause some trouble. No wonder Dash and Jazz wanted to get away for the weekend, by themselves."

"Ah, so now you know what I meant when I warned you not to be deceived by their looks."

"Yes, yes, you're right," he admitted tiredly.

Normally I would take the opportunity to gloat, but I was too busy falling asleep against his shoulder.

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**Please review! Thank you so much!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! Greetings from chapter three! Thank you to my chapter two reviewers-Phantom101; Yami-chan and Unrealistic; Beyonce's Angel925; CharmedNightSkye; kpfan72491; dannynsam4ever; Centaurgurl08; HiddenAuthor.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of the _Danny Phantom_ series.**

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The phone rang around 9:00, startling Danny and me out of our sleep. He stretched and answered the phone, talking for a few minutes before hanging up. 

"What's up?" I inquired.

"Oh, that was just Jazz. She just wanted to tell us that she and Dash got to the hotel, and that they'll call to check on the kids tomorrow. She said that she meant to call sooner, but she and Dash were so tired that they fell asleep for awhile, and then went out to a late dinner."

"I noticed you didn't tell her what happened at dinner."

"I didn't want to trouble her and Dash. I want them to enjoy their weekend, and not worry about the kids acting up. I know they are already concerned enough."

I kissed Danny. "I'm glad. I don't want to trouble them, either."

Danny and I got up and went to our room to watch TV. We put on the horror movie marathon, but found ourselves drifting off to sleep after just one film. We turned off the TV and fell asleep not long after.

I woke up again around two in the morning and heard soft crying coming from the guest room. I released myself from Danny's arms and got up to check on the kids. When I poked my head into the room, I saw Michelle sitting on the floor, sobbing.

"Honey, what's the matter?" I whispered, quietly walking over to her.

"Auntie Sam, I fell down and hurt my arm," she cried.

"Shh, it's okay. Don't cry. I'm sure you'll be just fine. Now, come on, I'll help you back into the bed."

"I'm scared. I had a bad dream. Can I sleep in your bed, pweeze? Pwetty pweeze?" she said, wiping her eyes and flashing an innocent grin.

"Michelle, sweetie, you need to sleep in your own bed."

"Pweeze? I'm scared."

"Okay," I sighed. "But only until you're no longer scared."

"Thank you, Auntie Sam."

I picked her up carefully, making sure not to bump the arm that she'd insisted she'd hurt. I peeked into Jack's playpen and was glad to note that he was sleeping peacefully. I then carried my niece into my bedroom.

Danny was awake when I entered, and I quickly explained what happened. He raised his eyebrows when I told him that I'd agreed to let Michelle sleep in our bed, but he breathed a sigh of relief when I set her down and whispered to him that it was only until she fell back asleep.

Michelle crawled to the center of the bed, between Danny and I. I climbed back under the covers, and Danny and I both kissed her cheek. She curled up next to him, and was out like a light within minutes.

Danny got out of bed and carefully scooped Michelle up, carrying her back to the guest room and putting her in the twin bed. Remaining for a moment to make sure she stayed asleep, he tiptoed back into our room, closing the door quietly and crawling back into bed next to me.

"Glad she went back to sleep quickly," he sighed, reaching up to play with my hair.

"Me, too, my love."

"You know, I have to admit that you were right. Taking care of these kids isn't as easy as I thought," he said with a yawn. "I'm glad we decided not to have children right away."

I gulped at that. _Yeah, you say that now, of all times,_ I thought. Wow, did I have a bombshell to drop on him...

Danny stifled another yawn, then pulled me closer to him and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Good night, Sammy," he whispered, giving me a kiss.

"Good night, Danny," I whispered back, sharing another kiss with him. I pulled the sheet up higher, and we both drifted off to sleep.

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Danny and I awoke around 6:30 to Jack crying over the baby monitor. I started to get up, but Danny stopped me. 

"Let me do it," he insisted. I watched as he clambered out of bed and opened the door.

I could hear him talking to Jack over the monitor. He came back a moment later, holding the baby in his arms. Jack was smiling and repeatedly saying "Hi," as it was one of the only words he knew.

"Look who's here," Danny grinned, setting Jack on the bed before sitting down next to him.

"Hi, Jack," I smiled, leaning over to kiss his forehead.

"Hi," he giggled.

"I bet you're hungry," I said, affectionately ruffling his hair. I got out of bed and scooped him up, taking him to the kitchen while Danny went to get Michelle, who we could hear calling for him from the guest room.

Danny and Michelle came into the kitchen just as I finished fastening Jack into his high chair. I poured him a bowl of dry cereal to eat, while Danny tried to figure out what Michelle wanted for breakfast.

"Do you want some cereal?" he asked her.

"Okay," she agreed.

"What kind?" Danny then asked, removing the boxes from the top of the refrigerator and showing them to her.

Michelle picked one, and Danny started to pour it into a bowl.

"I don't want that one."

"Which one do you want then?"

"The one with chocolate."

"We don't have one with chocolate."

She pouted. "Then I don't want cereal."

Danny sighed and calmly poured the cereal back in the box, then put it back atop the fridge and put the bowl in the sink. "What do you want then?" he asked Michelle.

"Can I have pancakes?"

"If your aunt is willing to make them for you."

"Auntie Sam, can I have pancakes? Pweeze?" she begged me.

"Alright, sweetie," I smiled. "In fact, I'll make pancakes for you, and myself, and your uncle."

Danny breathed a sigh of relief and started to remove the ingredients from the cupboards. Danny had great culinary skills, but pancakes always gave him trouble, for whatever reason.

I began to make the pancakes while Danny sat with Michelle at the table to keep her occupied, as well as keep an eye on Jack.

"Uncle Danny, can I watch cartoons?"

"Yes you may, until breakfast is ready," Danny answered.

"Okay," the little girl smiled, getting up from her chair. Danny stood up and took her hand.

"Be right back, Sam," he told me, leading Michelle to the living room to turn on the TV for her.

I began to flip the pancakes, and nearly burned myself when I heard something clatter to the floor. I turned around and saw that Jack had again thrown his bowl of cereal.

Danny, having put on cartoons for Michelle, hurried back to the kitchen to see what had happened. Not seeing the cereal that had scattered across the floor, he stepped on it, crushing it against the floor.

I could hear him grumbling to himself as he brushed it off his feet, then went to the get the broom and dustpan to clean up the mess. By the time he finished and gave Jack a little more cereal, breakfast was ready.

Danny went to the living room to get Michelle. "Come on, honey, the pancakes are ready," I could hear him tell her. I then heard him turn off the TV.

"No!" she whined. "I want cartoons!"

"I told you that you could watch them until breakfast was ready. And now that it is, the TV stays off."

I finished piling the pancakes onto the platter and set it on the table, then went to the living room to help Danny. I got there just in time to see Danny bend to pick up Michelle, but she dodged him and got up, putting the TV back on.

"Michelle," Danny said in a warning tone. "Your aunt made some nice, fresh pancakes for the three of us. And now it's time to go eat them. Don't you want your pancakes?" he told her, turning the TV off again.

"No! I want cartoons!" she repeated, screaming it this time.

Danny stood his ground. "I told you, the TV stays off now. It's time to eat breakfast."

"I'M NOT HUNGRY!" she yelled, stamping her foot.

I heard Jack start crying from the kitchen and went to tend to him. I looked back and saw Danny pick up Michelle. She kicked and squirmed, but he ignored it. He took her to the kitchen and grabbed a chair, holding her with one arm and placing the chair in a corner, facing the wall. He then sat her in it and knelt down to her level to talk to her.

"Then you get a time-out, for not listening. You are to stay here for three minutes, and I will come get you then."

"No!" she whined, crossing her arms. She started to get up, but Danny immediately sat her back down. She made a few more attempts, and each time he sat her back in the chair.

Finally Danny was able to sit with me at the table, but he didn't start eating until Michelle's time-out was up. Once it was, he whispered to her for a moment, then hugged her and brought her to the table.

The rest of the meal was uneventful, but the peace didn't last long. While Danny was trying to dress Jack, he started fussing and fidgeting. And when I dressed Michelle, she began to complain that I was hurting her arm, the one she'd supposedly hurt the night before.

Danny dragged Jack's playpen into the living room and kept an eye on the kids while I got dressed for the day. We then traded off, so he could get dressed. Everything actually settled down, but, again, it was only temporary.

"Uncle Danny, I'm bored," Michelle proclaimed, putting down her dolls.

Danny and I looked at each other. It was going to be a long day.

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**Please review! A huge thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! Welcome to chapter four! Sorry it took me a few more days to update, but I've been superbusy. Hopefully I will soon be updating some of my other stories as well. Thank you to my reviewers- Centaurgurl08; duchess of death; kpfan72491; hamanor12; Beyonce's Angel925; Yami-chan and Unrealistic; Jessica01; Fairly Odd Phantom Fan; and flarey phoenix.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Danny Phantom_ series, in whole or in part.**

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I could hear Michelle playing happily in the living room, while her brother napped. She had gone down for a nap after lunch, but woke up after only a half-hour, insisting she was no longer sleepy. Danny and I had managed to convince her to play with her dolls, while he and I talked, and Jack slept. 

Out of nowhere, I heard another voice that was definitely not Michelle's. I immediately got up to check on her, and gasped when I saw that Danny had beat me to the room- in his ghost form. I gasped again when I realized why.

Michelle had one of her dolls in her hand, while another was in the hand of the spirit that had tripped Danny's Ghost Sense. Her name is Boxed Lunch, and she is the daughter of the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady. By my estimate, she is supposed to be about 6-8 years old, and here she was playing dolls with a toddler.

Michelle suddenly looked up and saw Danny in his ghost form, with me standing next to him.

"Uncle Danny, Auntie Sam, can my new friend stay for dinner?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

I was speechless, but thankfully Danny wasn't. "She has to ask her parents," he told Michelle, speaking as if Boxed Lunch was a real child, not a ghost.

We watched as Boxed Lunch told Michelle she'd be right back, then disappeared. I looked at Danny, and he just shrugged. "Hey, if Michelle's happy, what the heck?" he whispered to me.

A few minutes later, Boxed Lunch was back with her ghostly parents.

"I understand you want to have my daughter stay for dinner. Will this dinner come from... a box?" her father asked, laughing at his own joke.

"Actually, yes, it will. We were planning to make macaroni and cheese. The boxed kind," Danny said calmly, still in his ghost form as a safety precaution. "And, of course, hot dogs," he added to appease the Lunch Lady.

"Ooh, my favorite!" Boxed Lunch squealed.

"Now, Sam, is that dinner okay with you, or were you planning on CHANGING THE MENU?" the Lunch Lady spoke up. Gee, nearly ten years later, and she's still holding a grudge over my attempt to introduce some healthy fare at Casper High!

"Uh, no," I shook my head nervously.

"Then I suppose it's alright," she said, turning to her daughter. "Boxed Lunch, you may stay, but you are to be back by 8:00 this evening," she told her.

"Yes, mama."

With that, the two elder ghosts thanked Danny and I, then vanished.

"Well, that was an interesting encounter," I muttered under my breath.

* * *

Michelle and Boxed Lunch spent the remainder of the afternoon playing together happily. Once Jack woke up, I moved him and his playpen to the living room, and he kept his eyes riveted on Boxed Lunch nearly the entire time. To my surprise, he didn't seemed scared at all. In fact, he was smiling and laughing. 

"Wow, is Jazz gonna freak out when she hears about what happened," I said to Danny as we started dinner.

"Then we just won't tell her," he smiled slyly.

"But what if Michelle spills the beans?"

"Three-year-old memory..." Danny answered.

"Okay, okay, I get it, Danny."

I made a tofu dog for myself before setting the table and getting the kids washed up for dinner. Once we were seated, Danny gave the kids their food, including a small serving of green beans.

Michelle instantly made a face. "What's this green stuff?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

"They're green beans," I answered. "They taste good, and they're good for you." As soon as that last part was out of my mouth, I wished I could take it back. _Good one, Sam! You know that once you tell a kid that something edible is good for them, they'll never touch it. You might as well throw the veggies out now._

Michelle instantly began to whine. When Danny told her that she had to eat all of her dinner if she wanted dessert, she only whined more. Finally Danny put her in time-out, causing Boxed Lunch to chuckle.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" she shouted, getting up from the chair and stamping her foot. This caused Jack to cry, so I got up to calm him down, while Danny talked to Michelle. After several minutes, Michelle finished serving her time-out, and the five of us continued eating dinner.

"I think I'd better go home now," Boxed Lunch announced upon finishing her meal. "Thanks for letting me stay for dinner," she added politely. Michelle started to object, but closed her mouth when Danny gave her a look.

"You're very welcome. Have a safe trip home. Bye-bye."

"Bye."

I watched as she turned invisible and intangible, keeping my eyes on her until she was out of my sight.

"Can I have dessert now? I ate all my dinner!" Michelle said.

I turned around and saw that she had indeed finished her green beans. The problem was, it took a time-out and minutes of negotiating to get her to that point. I decided to put my foot down.

"No, you may not," I answered shakily, afraid of what would happen next.

Michelle immediately jumped up from the table and stomped down the hall, slamming the guest bedroom door. I followed her down the hall just in time to hear the lock click. _Oh, great. She found the lock._

"Uh, Danny, I sort of need your help!" I called.

Danny came down the hall with Jack in his arms, and I explained that Michelle had locked the bedroom door. He had been thoroughly annoyed earlier, but managed to keep his composure. But now he was so mad, his eyes flashed green. Thinking quickly, he handed Jack to me, then went intangible and walked through the door, opening it from the inside and stepping out, holding a squirming Michelle.

"Put me down!" she squealed.

Danny did put her down-in the time-out chair. Once she served her three minutes, he told her it was time for a bath, knowing we'd probably have another fight on our hands. So it came as no shock when Michelle started to whine about having to bathe.

We finally succeeded in getting her into the tub in our bathroom. I bathed her, while Danny bathed Jack in the other bathroom. Once that was done, we dressed the kids in their pajamas and got them ready for bed.

We tucked the kids into bed at 8:00, exhausted ourselves from a long evening. Fortunately, Michelle and Jack both fell asleep quickly.

At 8:30, Danny and I found ourselves in our room, changing into our pajamas. But, as tired and harried as we were, once we were undressed, we couldn't keep our hands off each other. I threw on a robe to check on the kids before returning to our bedroom, remembering to lock the door this time.

I removed my robe and crawled into bed next to my husband, and we made love for some time, trying to keep as quiet as possible so as not to wake the kids. As we laid in each others' arms afterwards, we sighed with both happiness due to intimate moments, and relief that there had been no interruptions.

"I love you," Danny whispered, kissing gently behind my ear.

"I love you, too," I breathed, smiling.

"You know, today wasn't so bad after all," he commented.

I raised my eyebrows and turned to look at him. "What are you talking about? Michelle's attitude flared up multiple times."

"Yes, but now we have a better idea of what to expect, so when we see her in the future, we know how to handle it better. Besides, there's only one more day, and it's not even a whole one."

"And one more night," I reminded him. "But I see your point."

"I know I said this yesterday, but I'm relieved that we don't have kids of our own just yet. I mean, I love kids, and you know how much I want to be a father one day. But I'm happy that it's just you and me right now, Sammy."

_I'd better tell him,_ I thought, completely turning over. "There's something you really should know, Danny," I admitted with a nervous sigh.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, apparently seeing the look on my face.

"Yes, it's just that...well..."

"Come on, Sammy, out with it," he prompted.

I tried to speak, but the words died in my throat. Instead, I released myself from his arms and got up, hurrying into the bathroom. I dug through the cupboards under the sink, until I found the paper bag I'd stuffed in the back.

I took it out and removed its contents. I tore open the box, removing what I needed, then shutting and locking the door.

"Sam, are you okay?" Danny called.

"I'm fine, Danny! I just need to use the bathroom," I answered, hoping he wouldn't turn intangible and come in. I did need to go, but for a reason unbeknownst to him that really had nothing to do with nature actually calling.

I finished my task and placed the thing I'd had in my hand on the counter, then washed my hands. I then left and shut the door, looking at the alarm clock next to the bed and noting the time. Only five minutes until I would have the answer I needed.

Acting as if nothing unusual had just happened, I sat on the bed next to Danny, digressing about random things to distract him.

"You were about to tell me something," he reminded me, once I let him get a word in edgewise.

"Oh, yeah, that. Well, hold that thought," I said, jumping up from the bed. The five minutes, which felt like five of the longest minutes of my life, had passed. It was now or never.

I entered the bathroom, grabbing what I needed before returning to the bed. A very distinct symbol appeared in the little window of the instrument. Now knowing what I needed to know, I showed what I was holding to Danny.

"Oh, my gosh," he said, his eyes widening. "Sammy, does this mean..."

"Yes. I won't know for sure until I visit the doctor, but if this test is as accurate as it's supposed to be, then there's no doubt. Danny, we're going to be parents."

I heard a thud as Danny slipped onto the floor in a faint.

* * *

**Please review! Many thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, everyone! So sorry it took me so long to update, but I've been super-busy! At any rate, thanks to my reviewers from chapter four- Yami-chan and Unrealistic; preety-lady-serenity; kpfan72491; Beyonce's Angel925; HiddenAuthor; hamanor12; Amethyst Tears 137; Zilleniose; and dethhauntssister.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of the _Danny Phantom_ series.**

* * *

"Danny, wake up, snap out of it," I said, nudging my husband's shoulder. He had been out cold for only a few seconds, but it scared me. 

Danny finally opened his eyes, blinking several times. He looked up at me, clearly disoriented from fainting. "What happened, Sam?" he inquired.

"You fainted, Danny. Are you okay?" I answered, as he struggled to sit up.

"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy, is all. Will you help me up please?"

I took Danny's hands and carefully helped him up and onto the bed.

"Why did I lose consciousness, anyway?"

"Because I told you something. I didn't expect it to be such a major shock to you."

Danny looked thoughtful for a moment, and then suddenly his eyes widened. "You said you're going to have a baby, right?"

"Yes," I smiled happily, preparing to catch him, should he faint again.

"Don't worry, I'm okay," he grinned, obviously taking notice.

"Okay, well, at least let me get you some water to sip on," I insisted, starting to get up, only to have him stop me.

"Let me get it, Sam."

"I'm perfectly capable, Danny. You need to lie down and rest."

"So do you, Sam. You're carrying a child."

"Danny, I'm pregnant, not inept. I can get a glass of water," I sighed, moving his arm out of the way. He opened his mouth as if to protest, but closed it when I glared at him.

I went to the kitchen and got two glasses of water, one for Danny and one for myself, upon suddenly realizing how thirsty I was. When I got back to our room, I noticed that Danny had turned on his laptop.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just curious about a few things," he mumbled, typing away on the keyboard.

"Like what?"

Danny looked at me like I was stupid. "Duh, about pregnancy."

I frowned at him before looking away. What was up with him, anyway? I thought I was supposed to be the one having mood swings!

I felt Danny lean over and kiss my cheek. "I'm sorry, Sammy. I'm just so excited and nervous, all at the same time. I can't believe we're going to be parents."

"I understand that Danny, but-"

I cut myself off when I heard a knock at our bedroom door. "Uncle Danny, I don't feel good," Michelle said.

Danny and I hurriedly put on our robes before opening the door. "What's the matter, Michelle?" he asked her, kneeling down in front of her.

"My throat hurts."

Danny put his hand to her forehead. "She's burning up, Sam," he said worriedly. I touched her forehead, too, and was shocked at how warm it felt.

"I'll get the thermometer. You take her to the living room and lay her on the couch," I instructed him. I flew to the bathroom as Danny scooped up Michelle and carried her to the living room.

I took Michelle's temperature, happy to see that her fever was only a low-grade one. However, it appeared she was getting a cold, because she was breathing through her mouth as if her nose was stuffy.

"What do we do, Sam?" Danny fretted.

"We really don't know what the problem is. It's probably just a cold, but until we're sure, all we can do is get her fever down, since it's not too bad now."

"I know just what to do," Danny said. He promptly went ghost and wrapped his arms around Michelle, his phantom form letting off cold air against her skin. It was like using ice or cold water on her whole body at once. He held her for a few minutes, then let her go before starting again.

I checked Michelle's temperature after an hour, relieved to note that her fever had gone down. But her cough was getting worse, and she had started sneezing.

"She'd better sleep on the couch tonight, so Jack doesn't get sick, too," I told Danny. "Even though she's already exposed him, the less he's around her, the better. He's still too sensitive because he's so young."

Danny nodded in agreement. "I'll bring her pillow and sheet out here, and sleep in the recliner. I don't want you to get sick, either, now that you're pregnant."

"Auntie Sam, what's 'pregnant' mean?" Michelle murmured sleepily.

"It means that I'm going to have a baby, like your Mommy had you and Jack."

"So you're going to get fat? Mommy said that's what happens when mommies have babies."

"Well, yes, honey, I'm going to gain weight. It's because I have the baby growing inside of my tummy."

"Uncle Danny, how did the baby get inside of Auntie Sam? Did she eat it?"

"No, Michelle."

"Then how?"

I could see Danny's face turning red. I took the opportunity to kiss him good-night and blow a kiss to Michelle, then excuse myself to bed. I chuckled all the way down the hall as Danny stammered, trying to avoid explaining the facts of life to a three-year-old.

* * *

I awoke around 7:00 the next morning to the sound of Jack's cries over the monitor. I got up and went to the guest room to retrieve him from the playpen, setting him on a blanket on the floor to change his diaper before carrying him to the kitchen to feed him. After walking down the hall, I peered into the living room and saw Michelle sound asleep on the couch, with Danny tossing and turning in the chair. Apparently hearing me, his eyes popped open. 

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," I whispered, smiling at him.

Danny sat up and put down the foot rest, getting out of the chair. He yawned and stretched before walking over to me to give me a kiss before going to check on Michelle.

I placed Jack in the high chair, then poured a bowl of dry cereal for him to eat and set it on the tray. Thankfully, he didn't throw the bowl this time; he must've been pretty hungry.

A sleepy Michelle padded into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. Her nose was red from sneezing, and her cough sounded awful, but Danny told me it didn't appear that her fever had returned.

Danny came in and got Michelle a bowl of cereal and a glass of apple juice, allowing her to use a tray to eat in the living room and watch cartoons, since she wasn't feeling well. Once he got her set up, he scrubbed his hands thoroughly before making some waffles for me, and bacon and eggs for himself. Just as we sat down to eat, thinking that maybe the day wouldn't turn out so bad, the power went out.

"Uncle Danny!" Michelle shouted in a horse voice, "where are my cartoons?"

Danny and I gave each other a look. How were we going to entertain a sick kid?

Danny sighed and got up from the table to go explain to Michelle what happened. Apparently, not feeling well wasn't enough to keep her from throwing a major hissy fit. Within a minute or two, she was stomping around, and Jack was crying from the noise.

Danny finally calmed Michelle down, telling her that she could play with her dolls if she ate her breakfast. She finished it quickly and happily played in the living room for about an hour, before complaining she was bored.

Danny read Michelle a story, while I began to pack her and Jack's things. Jazz and Dash would be back that afternoon to pick them up, thank goodness.

As Jack played in his playpen and I packed up the suitcases, the power came back on, much to my relief. Michelle spent some time sprawled out on the couch, watching TV, while I continued to pack and keep Jack occupied. Danny turned his attention to cleaning the house.

Around noon, Michelle came into the guest room, starting to whine about being hungry. I scooped up Jack and walked to the kitchen, with her following me.

"What do you want for lunch, Michelle?" I asked her, putting Jack in his high chair.

"Can I have some mac cheese?" she answered.

"You mean macaroni and cheese? Sorry, sweetie, but not with that cough of yours."

"But I want mac cheese," she pouted. Danny suddenly came in, and she began to implore him. "Uncle Danny, can I have some mac cheese?"

Danny looked at me, and I shook my head no. "Sorry, Michelle, Auntie Sam says no." Why did he have to put it that way? _Three, two, one..._ I counted off in my head.

"But I want mac cheese!" Michelle whined.

"No means no, Michelle," Danny said coolly. "Besides, you had some yesterday. But if you'd like, I'll help you find something else to eat for lunch."

"I WANT MAC CHEESE!" Michelle shouted, stamping her foot on the tile floor.

"Michelle," Danny said in a warning tone. "If you do that again, you're going to go into time-out."

Michelle immediately raised her foot to stamp it again. As soon as she did, Danny went over, scooped her up, and stuck her in a chair in the corner. Once she served her time, Danny took several things from the cupboard, letting her choose her lunch.

Michelle asked to see a jar of grape jelly. When Danny showed it to her, she snatched it from his hand and threw it onto the floor. It exploded, scattering the jelly and shards of glass on the tile.

I calmed a crying Jack before going to get the mop, while Danny scooped up Michelle to carry her to the guest bedroom. She immediately cried out, and that's when he noticed that a small piece of glass had embedded itself into her leg. He carried her to the bathroom instead to remove the glass and clean and dress her wound.

As I balanced Jack on my hip and cleaned up the kitchen floor, I heard Michelle's cries, while Danny removed the glass with tweezers. I could hear him rinsing her leg in the sink, before covering the wound with an antibiotic ointment and a bandage.

Danny and Michelle returned to the kitchen, and, after apologizing to me, Michelle finally settled on a peanut butter sandwich and half a banana. Fortunately, both she and Jack went down for a nap after lunch.

Danny and I sighed as we finally sank down onto the couch, exhausted. Just as we got comfortable, the doorbell rang.

"Please tell me that's Jazz and Dash," I said, getting up to answer the door.

* * *

**Please review! Thank you so much!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello all! I really did not expect to take almost two months to update this story, and I apologize. Things got really hectic at school, and then a lot of stuff happened around the holidays, so I just didn't feel up to writing until the last few days. Originally this chapter was to be the last, but since Sam's pregnant, I decided to at least carry the story (no pun intended) through her pregnancy and the birth. So, without further delay, here is chapter six! And thank you to my reviewers- Summers Rage; Yami-chan and Unrealistic; HiddenAuthor; Amethyst Tears 1347; Beyonce's Angel925; PhantomsAngelS2; kpfan72491; alex; dethhauntssister; hamanor12; Fairly Odd Phantom Fan; RockPrincess18; and preety-lady-serenity.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Danny Phantom_ TV series, in whole or in part.**

* * *

"Hey, Sam!" Jazz squealed, hugging me. Once she let go, I stepped out of the doorway to let her and Dash in.

"How was your weekend?" I asked them as they plucked themselves on the sofa, taking my seat next to Danny on the couch.

"It was wonderful," Jazz gushed cheerfully. "The little town was so beautiful."

"And there were plenty of things for us to do," Dash chimed in. "Like hiking, and swimming, and riding bikes. Those were some of the most relaxing workouts I've had in awhile."

"I'm glad the two of you had fun," Danny spoke up. I still couldn't believe that the jock that used to wail on my husband was now married to his sister. Funny the way things work out sometimes!

"Hey, Fenton-Meister," Dash said. "I gotta tell you something."

"Dash, I told you not to call my brother by those silly nicknames!" Jazz reprimanded him with a sigh.

"I was just going to say thanks for watching the kids for us at the last minute," Dash told her. He then looked at me and Danny. "So thanks, Danny. And you, too, Sam."

"Yeah, thanks so much," Jazz agreed, lovingly squeezing Dash's hand.

"You're welcome," Danny and I said in unison.

"So how were the kids?" Jazz finally asked.

Danny and I looked each other, and he drew a deep breath. "They were..." his voice trailed off.

"Let's just say the weekend was interesting," I interceded.

Jazz raised her eyebrows. "That bad?"

Danny laughed nervously. "I have to owe it to you two. With you going to school, Jazz, and you working from home to watch the kids, Dash...I had no idea of the kind of sacrifices you make. I just hope that I, too, can set such a good example when Sam and I have kids."

"Speaking of which..." I chimed in, unable to resist smiling goofily at Danny as I looked at him. He nodded his head, and I turned my attention back to Jazz and Dash. "I'm going to have a baby!"

"Wow, congratulations!" Jazz cheered, coming over to hug us.

"Way to go, Danny!" Dash said, getting up and slapping Danny on the back.

"Dash!" Jazz elbowed him.

"Sorry, honey," Dash sighed, looking at the floor.

"Wow, I can't believe my little brother is going to be a father! This is so exciting! Wait until mom and dad-"

"Mommy!" a little voice squealed.

The four of us looked in the direction of the voice and saw Michelle standing in the hallway.

"Come here my big girl!" Jazz said, kneeling on the floor and extending her arms towards her daughter.

Michelle immediately ran into her arms. Apparently, she was feeling better.

"I love you, Mommy," Michelle said, as Jazz smothered her with kisses.

"I love you, too, sweetheart, and I missed you. Did you have fun with Auntie Sam and Uncle Danny while me and your daddy were gone?"

"Yes, but they didn't let me have mac cheese," Michelle pouted.

Jazz turned around as if to scold us, but I could see her eyes dancing. "What's this about no macaroni and cheese for my precious little girl?" she said in a mock-harsh tone.

"She wasn't feeling well, Jazz," Danny explained. "She had a sore throat and a fever."

"Oh, really," Jazz said, shifting her gaze back to Michelle. "Sweetie, are you feeling alright?" she asked, as Dash put a hand to their daughter's forehead.

"She's not warm," he confirmed.

"Her fever broke during the night. In the times I've checked since then, it hasn't been back, but she sounded hoarse earlier, and has been coughing a bit," I told them.

"Does my beautiful daughter have a cold?" Dash asked, kissing Michelle's cheek. Jazz handed Michelle to him, and he gently set her on the couch, while Danny got a thermometer just to make sure her fever hadn't returned.

"I gave her a little cold medicine before she went down for a nap," I told Jazz, while the guys tended to Michelle.

"Thanks, Sam. I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Hey, Jazz, you want me to go get Jack for you, so you and Dash can get the kids home? Since Michelle's sick, I don't think it's a good idea for her to stay around here longer than necessary. I mean, with her needing her rest, and Sam being pregnant and all."

"He's right, Jazz," Dash agreed.

Danny went down the hall to get Jack, while Dash sat back down and placed a sleepy Michelle in his lap, allowing her to fall asleep against his chest. Jazz sat next to them and began to ask me questions about the pregnancy, overwhelming my brain with all the possibilities. I finally managed to explain that I hadn't even gone to the doctor yet to find out for sure, as I'd only taken the home test the night before, so I just couldn't answer some of her questions.

"Jazz, I think you're beginning to sound more eager about this than Sam," Dash teased his wife.

"Oh, leave me alone," she giggled. "I'm just happy for my brother and sister-in-law. I know how badly Danny's been wanting to have kids with Sam. He's been telling me that ever since he realized she was the one."

"Who's been telling you what?" Danny asked.

"I was just explaining that you've been telling me so much about how you can't wait to have kids with Sam," Jazz explained again, and her smile widened upon seeing that Danny started blushing.

I chuckled a little. "What do you have to be embarrassed about, Danny?"

"Well, that's something that I first told Jazz a long time ago. Like three months after we started dating," he admitted.

"You've known ever since we were fifteen?" I said, unable to resist a grin. I could feel my face getting hot, too.

"Aww, Sam's blushing," Jazz pointed out.

"It's just the pregnancy hormones," I insisted.

"Yeah, sure," she said knowingly.

"So, anyway, we should get going," Dash interceded, as Danny stepped closer to Jazz to hand Jack to her. "Thanks again for watching the kids," Dash added, looking at Danny and me.

"Anytime," I answered.

Jazz carefully stood up, maneuvering Jack until his head was resting on her shoulder, her arm supporting his back. She slung his diaper bag over her other shoulder, then still managed to hug Danny.

"Thanks, Little Bro," she said.

"Sure thing," Danny replied.

Dash easily stood up while holding onto a napping Michelle, using his free hand to shake Danny's hand before grabbing Michelle's suitcase. He nodded at me, obviously deciding not to get too close because of his daughter's illness. Jazz did the same, as she had been hugging and kissing the little girl earlier.

Once Danny locked the door behind the Baxter family and watched the car drive off, he went to wash his hands to help protect from germs, then began to sterilize the house. I offered to help, but he insisted on doing it himself, so I stretched out on the couch, reading a magazine.

Danny came out after several minutes, slumping into the recliner.

"What a weekend," he proclaimed. "Fun, but hectic."

"Yeah, you really didn't think two kids that young could be such a handful, did you?"

"No, I didn't," he confessed. "Now I have a much better idea of what it's like to be a parent. You know, I don't think I've ever spent a night around those kids without either Jazz or Dash around, since I was already out of the house before Michelle started staying overnight with my parents."

"Well, I think it was a good experience for both of us, especially with me being an only child," I said. "And I thought that silly high school project was hard. That doesn't even compare to what we went through this weekend, or what will happen in less than a year."

"I know," Danny sighed. "I still can't believe that I'm going to be a father." After a moment of thought, his eyes widened. "Hey, I still need to call Tuck and Valerie, and let them know," he acknowledged. "I can't wait to hear their reaction."

When he said Tuck and Valerie, he meant Tucker and Valerie Foley, our best friend from high school and his wife. They had only been married about two weeks and had just returned from their honeymoon.

"Yeah, good luck trying to get them to answer the phone," I teased. "We've only been married a year, and we still act like newlyweds. Imagine the two of them, after two weeks."

"I don't want to," Danny made a face. "I don't need those images in my head."

I rolled my eyes. "What's the matter, Danny? Are you jealous because we aren't on our honeymoon anymore?" I teased.

"Why should I be?" he grinned slyly. "Just because we're back home now doesn't mean we can't act like we did then."

I blushed a bit as I thought about what had happened the night before, just prior to my revealing my pregnancy. "True enough."

"You know, now that I think about it, it's just the two of us for the first time this entire weekend," he said in a low voice.

He got up and kneeled next to the couch. I let him have one kiss before getting up and fetching the cordless phone extension.

"Call Tucker first," I said.

"Fine, fine," he sighed longingly. "But only if you promise me that we can have some special time afterwards. Whether he or Valerie answers or not."

I contemplated for a moment before making my decision. "I promise."

* * *

**Please review! A huge thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, all! Welcome to chapter seven! Thank you to my reviewers- kpfan72491; Fairly Odd Phantom Fan; Yami-chan and Unrealistic; dannysam4ever; Beyonce's Angel925; Graywand; Queen S of Randomness 016; hamanor12; sthompson101092; dethhauntssister; RasenganFin (for two reviews); and hermie-the-frog (for four reviews).**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of the _Danny Phantom_ TV series.**

* * *

"Hello?" I heard an exhausted Tucker answer, since Danny had set the extension to speakerphone.

"Hey, Tuck, how are you?"

"Fine, fine," Tucker answered. "How are you and Sam?"

"We're doing great. In fact, that's why I called you. I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but Sam and I have some good news to share."

"No, Danny, I just got back from my honeymoon. You're not interrupting anything at all," Tucker said sarcastically. I bit my lip, resisting the urge to chuckle in fear that he would hear me.

"Okay, okay, point taken. How about you call me later?"

Before Tuck could answer, Danny and I heard Valerie's voice on the other end, talking to him. "Who's bugging us now?" she asked.

"It's Danny. He says that he and Sam have something they want to tell us."

"What's up, Danny?" Valerie said into the phone.

"Hey, Valerie. I'm sorry if I'm calling at a bad time, but I have something really exciting to tell you guys, and I couldn't wait."

"Just tell us already!" Tucker and Valerie said in unison.

"Sam's going to have a baby!" Danny told them happily.

"Oh my gosh! Congratulations!" the couple cheered from the other end.

"When is Sam due?" Valerie asked.

Danny held the phone closer to me, so I could answer her question.

"I'm not sure when I'm due," I explained. "I just took a home test, so I'm not 100 positive that I'm pregnant. I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow and make an appointment, so that I'll know for sure. But I'm guessing sometime early next year, maybe around late February," I told her and Tucker.

"Well, congrats again, you two," Tucker said. "What do you say we go out to dinner tomorrow and celebrate?" he suggested.

"Sounds great, Tuck. Why don't you call us later, and we'll discuss everything more then. Sam and I...have some things to do," Danny noted.

"Okay, talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye."

Danny hung up the phone and put it back in the charger, before turning to me, his eyes flashing green.

"I kept up my end of the promise, Sammy. I believe that makes it your turn," he grinned.

"You know it," I smiled back. "But my back's a little sore. How about a nice, hot shower?"

"Whatever you want, my beauty," Danny answered, his grin ever-widening.

He came over, scooped me up, and carried me down the hall to the bedroom. On the way, we both looked into the guest room, relieved that it was again unoccupied. Especially because it meant that we wouldn't have to be so quiet.

Danny laid me gently on the bed, then crawled in next to me. He took his time with me, deliberately kissing my face and neck as his hands wandered. He delighted in teasing me, and when I finally couldn't take it anymore, I playfully slapped his hands away. I carefully rolled on top of him, stripping him of his shirt and running my hands across his ripped chest.

"Sam," he murmured, his eyes now a bright green.

We relieved each other of the remainder of our clothing and spent a few minutes just admiring each other, before getting into the shower.

"You're so beautiful," Danny breathed. "You know, I read something about you getting bigger in places beside your belly," he said slyly. "I can't wait."

"Danny, you're horrible," I giggled.

"But you know you love me anyway," he smiled, pulling me closer. He started to kiss my neck, but then stopped after a moment to look into my eyes. "I still can't believe that I'm going to be a daddy," he sighed. "It certainly took enough times," he added in a teasing tone.

I giggled again at his last comment. "Well, that's just the way things turn out sometimes. Besides, I'm glad that I didn't get pregnant until we were married for awhile. We're fortunate that we already own a decent-sized house and have some money saved up, along with some job security. No pun intended," I told him.

"That's certainly true, Sam," he agreed. "But no more talk for now. It's time to get down to business."

Danny hugged me to him and kissed me deeply. "I love you, Sammy," he whispered after pulling away. "If I hurt you at all, please tell me. I want to be careful."

"Okay, Danny," I said. "I love you, too."

Feeling playful, I gently pushed Danny's back up against the tile, and kissed him forcefully.

"I love when you take the initiative," he grinned, locking eyes with me as the water streamed down our bodies.

* * *

The alarm sounded at 6:00 the next morning, waking both me and Danny up. I smiled as I noticed that I was still wrapped up securely in his arms. He let go of me for a moment to shut off the alarm, then started to hold me again. 

"Time to get up, sleepyhead," I whispered.

"I don't want to," he whined. "I want to stay in bed with you," he added sleepily.

I couldn't blame him. He and I had had quite a...busy night. But he needed to get up for work, as did I, since the next issue of the monthly magazine I worked for was to go to press in a couple days. I work mostly from home, but have to go to the office for roughly ten days out of the month to help prepare the magazine.

After a moment of snuggling with me, Danny finally got up and dressed.

"You're going to try to get an appointment with the doctor this afternoon, right?" he inquired as I readied for my shower.

"Yes. I already submitted my articles last week, so I should be able to get out at noon today. I'm going to try to get an appointment for 1:30 or after, because the doctor is out to lunch until 1:00, and I want to have time to come home, eat, and change out of my work clothes."

"I wish I could go with you," he sighed. "I can't wait to find out for sure if I'm going to be a father."

"I know, Danny. I know it's hard on you. But I promise to call you as soon as I know anything, okay?" I attempted to comfort him.

"Okay, Sammy," he smiled warmly, walking over and hugging me. "You know, it's really too bad that we have to work..." he whispered, kissing my neck.

"Danny..."

"Okay, okay."

* * *

"Samantha?" 

I looked up and saw that one of the nurses was standing at the door and motioning for me to follow her. I got up, and she led me to one of the exam rooms. It was 1:30 on the dot, the time of my appointment. I was happy to finally get to find out, but nervous at the same time. What if I wasn't pregnant?

The doctor came in about fifteen minutes later and greeted me with a warm smile.

"And how are we, today, Sam?"

"Quite alright, Dr. Sanderson."

"I understand you came here to find out if you are with child," she said.

"Yes."

Dr. Sanderson went on to explain how she would determine if I was pregnant. After going through the normal check-up process, she made the examination, then excused herself to process the results.

"I'll be back in about ten minutes," she informed me, shutting the door quietly behind her.

I decided to read a parenting magazine to pass the time, yet the minutes still dragged by. It was only 1:55, but it felt like more like 5:00. And I still had to wait five more minutes.

As I nervously stared at the clock, my cell phone rang, taking me by surprise. I cursed under my breath, annoyed at myself for forgetting to turn it off. I pulled it out of my purse to do so, but when I saw it was Danny, I answered it.

"Hello?"

"How's my gorgeous wife?"

"Fine, Danny. The doctor examined me and should be back in a few minutes with the results."

"I can hardly wait to find out."

"Same here. Listen, Danny, I'll call you when I leave the office, okay? I know you want to find out, but I really shouldn't be on the phone right now. It could foul up the medical equipment."

"Okay," Danny said sadly. "But call me as soon as you leave, okay?"

"Of course, babe. I love you."

"I love you, too, beautiful. Bye."

I hung up the phone and quickly turned it off. I tucked it back into my purse just as Dr. Sanderson came back in. I could tell what the results were from the look on her face, without her even saying anything.

"Congrats, Sam!" she smiled. "You are indeed pregnant."

"How far along am I?"

"While there is no way to pinpoint exactly how far, it is roughly six weeks," she answered.

"Wow, so only a week after my last period? I must have ovulated early."

"That does happen sometimes, even for women with regular cycles."

"So that means the baby should be due around mid-February of next year?" I inquired.

"That's correct. Now, I will need to see you again in two weeks, or earlier if there seem to be any complications. Once the baby starts developing more rapidly, the appointments will be more often, but for now, you should be fine to see me every two weeks for the first trimester," she informed me, before handing me a bunch of brochures. "Reading these should give you plenty of information, but of course if you have any questions, you can always call me. Or if I'm not in the office, you can speak with Dr. Fields. I know he has examined you on a few occasions when I was out, so I'm sure he'd be more than happy to help. Best of luck, Sam, and please make sure to let me know if there are any problems. Other than that, I will see you in two weeks."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Sanderson," I smiled warmly at her, getting up from the examining table and putting the brochures into my purse. I planned to read them as soon as I got home. That is, after I finished calling family and friends to tell them the good news.

"You are very welcome, Sam. Just take this card up to the receptionist, and she will fill it out for you once you schedule your next appointment."

Once I scheduled my appointment, I thanked the receptionist and the nurses and left the office in an excellent mood.

I got into the car and immediately removed my phone from my purse, then turned it on and called Danny. I could hear him straining not to scream with joy at the other end. I knew he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret, so once we hung up, I had no doubt in my mind that he would run off and tell his co-workers that he was going to become a dad.

I got home around 2:30 and spent the next two hours on the phone, an hour talking to my parents and another hour talking to Danny's. By the time I finished talking to Maddie, it was already 4:30. As Tucker and Valerie would be meeting up with us at an Italian restaurant downtown at 7:00, I still had about an hour to read the brochures Dr. Sanderson gave me. I decided to put off the other calls until later, as Jazz and Dash already knew, although I had yet to tell them the doctor confirmed it, and Tuck and Valerie would find out later.

I stretched out on the couch and began reading. I got caught up in reading the brochure addressing bodily changes resulting from pregnancy, in terms of both hormones and appearance. I made a mental note to have Danny read it later, as he would be pleasantly surprised to discover some of the effects of hormonal changes.

My mind lingered on that thought, and then it drifted to the night previous. I wondered how often Danny and I would have time to be intimate as I got further along, and especially after the baby was born. As I continued to ponder it, I lost track of time, and before I knew it, it was 5:30, and Danny was pulling into the garage.

"Hey, beautiful," he greeted me with a kiss.

"Hey, you," I smiled up at him.

"I'd know that grin anywhere. Thinking about last night, my dear?" he asked with a toothy grin.

"Maybe," I answered, my smile widening.

* * *

**Please review! Many thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Woo-hoo, an update! Welcome to chapter eight! As always, thank you to my reviewers- hamanor12; Yami-chan and Unrealistic; dannynsam4ever; phantomphriend; kpfan72491; Queen S of Randomness 016; hermie-the-frog; dethhauntssister; and Fairly Odd Phantom.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Danny Phantom_ TV series, in whole or in part.**

* * *

I went to the closet and took out my dinner outfit, smiling to myself as I thought about how girly I'd become since high school. I never could have imagined back then how feminine I'd look now, as I had been heavily into the Goth lifestyle-within limits, of course.

I hung the outfit on the inside of the bathroom door and stood there for a moment, admiring it. It was only 6:00, but I had to hurry, because Danny and I had spent the last half-hour reading the brochures and discussing them. And we had to leave by about 6:30 to get to the restaurant in time.

I took a quick shower before getting dressed. I had settled on a knee-length, black, spaghetti-strap dress. The empire waist had a band made of white ribbon, with a small bow in the center. I added a cropped, white cardigan, a black clutch with a silver buckle, and silver kitten-heel sandals.

After I finished dressing, I redid my make-up, then combed out my dark brown hair. It was nearly elbow-length at the time, long enough for me to easily braid it. I did so, then twisted the braid into a low bun and pinned it, using a little gel to smooth down all the baby hairs along my forehead and ears.

When I came out of the bathroom, Danny's eyes nearly bugged out of his head-as did mine. He was wearing black dress pants, a short-sleeved, dark gray, button-up shirt, and black dress shoes. Although it was a simple outfit, it fit well enough that I could see a slight curvature of his muscles.

"Sammy, you look stunning," my husband smiled warmly at me, coming over and giving me a kiss.

"You look great, too, Danny," I smiled back. "Will you put my necklace on me, please?"

"Of course." Danny already knew exactly what necklace I meant, as it was my favorite. It was his gift to me for my eighteenth birthday-a sterling silver chain with an amethyst pendant. Danny went over to the dresser and removed it from the jewelry box, then carefully put it on me.

After Danny put on the watch I gave him for his eighteenth birthday, silver with a black face, we were ready to go. Danny and I made sure everything was locked up before going out through the garage. Danny locked the door to the house, and then pushed the button to open the big garage door. We got into the car and buckled up, and then were on our way.

By the time Danny and I found parking and got into the restaurant, it was 6:55. Although it was a Monday, the restaurant is very popular, and the fact that it shares its parking lot with other nearby businesses makes it even harder to find parking. We claimed our reservations and were seated, then occupied ourselves by looking at the menu while we waited for Tucker and Valerie.

The Foleys arrived at seven on the dot and were led to our table. Danny and Tucker exchanged a handshake, while Valerie and I each got a kiss on the cheek from each other's husbands. We ordered our drinks and decided what we wanted to eat, then started to chat a bit.

Much like Danny and myself, Tuck and Valerie have both changed a lot since high school. Tucker now has contacts, and although he is still a "Techno-Geek," he used that lifestyle to get a career as a computer programmer. Now he dresses much nicer, even when he's not working, and thankfully Valerie talked him into getting rid of his red beret for good.

Valerie has learned to put her self-defense skills to better use. After high school, she lost weight and got into even better shape, and also cut her hair to her shoulders, just long enough that she could pull it back while working. She worked as a karate instructor in college, and entered the Amity Park Police Academy after getting her degree in Administration of Justice. She graduated in May, and was preparing to begin working as a patrol officer.

After we ordered our meals, the four of us talked about random things as we awaited our food. Tucker and Valerie asked Danny and me about the baby and watching Jazz's kids, and we in turn asked them about their honeymoon. They had gone to Europe, spending five days in France and five in Italy, and the remaining days traveling.

Once our food arrived, we quieted down for some time, as we were enjoying it very much. As I ate, I suddenly felt very self-conscious, worried about the ravenous hunger and weird cravings that would soon pop up, and wondering exactly how big I would get from my pregnancy.

"Are you okay, Sam?" Valerie asked, apparently noticing my actions. Although my food had tasted as good as ever, I had only eaten half of it before allowing our waiter to clear the plate.

"I'm fine," I lied, as the guys continued to shovel the food in their mouths like hungry teenagers.

* * *

"Wow, was that good," Tucker proclaimed, patting his belly emphatically as we waited for the bill. 

"Tuck, not here," Valerie sighed. "This is a nice, classy restaurant, not the Nasty Burger."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. I looked at Danny at that moment and was happy to note that, despite the way he'd eaten his food, he was sitting more properly.

Danny and I paid our share of the bill when it arrived a few minutes later. Bidding Tucker and Valerie good-bye, we made our way to the car.

"What's the matter, Sammy?" he inquired as we crossed the parking lot.

"What do you mean, Danny?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

"What makes you think that something's wrong?"

"Because on the way here, you told me how hungry you were, and how you could hardly wait to eat. And then you raved about how good your food was. Yet you only ate half of it, and didn't bother trying to take the rest home."

"Are you mad at me for not doing so? I know this place is expensive. Do you think I was being wasteful?" I asked, annoyed at myself when I realized how rude my tone of voice sounded.

"That's not it, Sam," he frowned. "I mean, it surprised me that you didn't save the rest of your food, but I know there's something else bothering you. You're worried about the baby, aren't you?"

"No...well, yes...maybe...I don't know!" I answered. "I just..."

"Just what, beautiful?"

"I'd rather wait until we get home to talk about it," I stalled. "It's dark out now and there's a lot of traffic for a Monday evening, and I don't want to distract you from driving."

Danny opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it as he unlocked the car doors.

I put down my purse, kicked off my shoes and stretched out on the couch, tired and annoyed by the hunger pangs I had been feeling the last few minutes. I could swear Danny had heard my stomach growling, but if he did, he didn't say anything.

I put a pillow back against the arm of the couch and rested my head on it. I just laid there, thinking, as Danny was down the hall, readying himself for bed. I looked down at my belly, still a little bloated from dinner, despite the relatively small amount of food I ate. I tried to imagine what it would look like once I carried the baby to term.

Danny came into the living room in only his pajama bottoms. I stared at his six-pack, not just out of amazement, but envy. He had eaten his whole meal, plus a small dessert, yet his stomach hardly looked bloated.

"Hey you," he smiled, leaning over to kiss me. "Sleepy?"

"Mm-hmm," I said softly.

"Why don't we call it a night then?" he suggested. "It's not too late, but between a typical Monday at work and all that food, I'm pretty tired myself."

"Okay," I agreed, getting up and grabbing my shoes and purse to carry them down the hall with me.

I took my time getting ready for bed, my thoughts still consumed with what had been bothering me since dinner. I finally went to bed just a few minutes before ten. I expected Danny to be out like a light by then, and was therefore surprised when I climbed in next to him and he rolled onto his side to face me.

"You never told me what was wrong, Sammy," he mentioned, looking me in the eyes. "And I would really like to know before I go to sleep."

"Okay, Danny, I'll tell you. The truth is, as I was eating, I got pre-occupied with wondering how much weight I'll gain due to my pregnancy. And I'm so scared that even once I start to rebound from the birth, I'm not going to lose the weight."

"Sam, normally I would tell you not to worry so much about something like that, but I know it'd be pointless because you're going to do it anyway. But I will say to keep in mind that the weight gain will be spread over several months, and you will lose a lot once the baby is born. Besides, you know that no matter what size you are, I will always love you and be thankful that you are going through this so that we can be blessed with children. I love you."

"I love you, too, Danny. And thank you," I said sincerely, smiling up at him.

"You ready to get some sleep, my love?"

"No," I grinned.

"Again?"

"What, are you saying no?"

"Of course not," he chuckled, leaning over me and kissing me deeply.

* * *

Jazz got off work early the next day and came over to visit me for awhile. We talked over lunch, and she informed me that Michelle had been feeling much better and would probably be fine by the next day. 

Although my little talk with Danny the night before had cheered me up a lot, I decided to talk to Jazz about what had bothered me so. Much to my chagrin, she actually laughed.

"I don't know what's so funny," I muttered.

"Oh, Sam, I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound insulting; I'm just chuckling because I know exactly how you feel. And I've been through it twice."

"So what happened when you first started to worry about it?"

"Well, I kept telling myself that all the weight gain was perfectly normal, and that as long as I worked hard enough at it, I would shed the baby weight. And I obsessed about eating healthy, not just for the baby's sake, but to help keep off any unnecessary extra weight."

"Did it work?"

"Well, I convinced myself that it was working until probably about the fifth month, when I really started to show. That's when the cravings started. I must have been a real Jekyll-and-Hyde with the eating, half the time obsessing, the other half the time indulging. By the time I entered my ninth month, I looked-and felt-like I'd swallowed a huge watermelon whole, rind and all. I contemplated hanging a "Wide Load" sign from my navel, which was sticking out a few inches."

"You know, Jazz, you're not exactly making me feel better," I noted ruefully.

"Oh, Sam, I'm not trying to worry you more. The point is that all pregnant women go through what you do, even the ones that are health nuts. And you know what? When I was pregnant with Jack, I decided not to obsess over my weight so much. Although I was of course mindful of it, I indulged a little more, but within reason. And I only ended up gaining a couple more pounds than I did with Michelle."

I contemplated what Jazz said as she excused herself for a moment to take an important call.

"Hey, Sam, I'm sorry, but I have to go," she informed when she came back into the room. "My boss called and said that his seminar was canceled at the last minute, so he needs me to come back in a for a few hours while he sees some more patients."

"Don't worry about it, Jazz. Thanks for your help," I smiled warmly.

We hugged good-bye, and then she was off. I cleaned up from lunch before settling onto the couch to read for awhile. Jazz had brought me a pregnancy book that she purchased while pregnant with Michelle, which she'd told me helped her to deal with the things that medical professionals sometimes neglect to discuss in brochures-the psychological effects of weight gain, birth, etc.

I got very involved in the book and ended up reading it for a couple hours. Before I knew it, it was time to start dinner. I was making Danny his favorite meal, to thank him for cheering me up the night before.

As I washed the vegetables for the salad, I glanced down at my belly, but this time with amazement instead of concern. I patted it gently and smiled. "I love you, little one, and I promise that I'm going to take good care of you," I whispered softly, before munching on a raw carrot.

* * *

**Please review! Thank you so much!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hurray, an update at last! I was originally planning to end this story after ten chapters, but I came up with another idea today, so I want to add a couple chapters. I will most likely end the story after twelve chapters. At any rate, here's the next installment! And thank you to my reviewers- hamanor12; Chris Brown's Number 1 Gurl; Yami-chan and Unrealistic; dethhauntssister; phantomphriend; and RasenganFin.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of the _Danny Phantom_ TV series.**

* * *

"Are you sure that's what you want, Sam?" my husband asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Of course, Danny," I insisted. It was a Friday night, and the two of us had just ordered dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

I was already in my fourth month of pregnancy, and starting to show a little bit. The first three months had been filled with morning sickness. That had gotten rid of itself, but now I was dealing with massive cravings, including for things that I hadn't eaten in years. Namely, meat.

I had been indulging myself quite a bit as of late. I really wanted to stick to my Ultra-Recyclo Vegetarian ways, but in talking to the doctor, Jazz, Maddie, and even my mom, I realized it was best that I cave in to my body's cravings, within reason of course, instead of denying them. Not only was it better for the baby for me to eat a little bit of real meat, but I knew that the more I ignored my cravings or tried to substitute other foods for them, the worse they would get. After all, if I were to crave filet mignon, what good would it do to settle for tofurkey?

On this particular evening, I'd settled on two chicken enchiladas, refried beans, rice, and tortilla soup, with milk to drink. I don't know what surprised Danny more-the fact that I had ordered so much food, or that I'd chosen meat. Although he really shouldn't have been so surprised, as I'd had a big appetite for the last couple weeks, and had started eating meat the day before. I guess he expected the meat cravings to disappear completely once I indulged myself, perhaps thinking I'd get too disgusted by it.

At any rate, he didn't make any more comments about my food choice. As we waited for our meals, we snacked on tortilla chips and chatted.

"I can't believe that Valerie's pregnant now, too," Danny marveled. "What's with the baby boom, anyway?"

"Danny, you know the facts of life. These things happen," I teased him playfully. "But at least I have someone going through all this with me at the exact same time."

"True," he agreed, looking thoughtful.

"What's on your mind?" I inquired.

"Oh, just thinking about that stupid high school project, where we had to carry around those flour sacks," Danny answered with a chuckle.

I giggled as I thought back on it. I had to be paired with Tucker, while Danny was paired with Valerie. At the time Valerie was bent on killing Danny Phantom, unaware that he was Danny's ghostly alter-ego. When a ghost "kidnapped" their flour sack baby, they had to work together to save it.

In the meantime, I kept reminding Tucker that our "baby" was just a flour sack. But he named it Tucker, Jr. and kept fussing over it. Eventually I named it Lilith and began to fuss over it, as he opened a business that consisted of our classmates paying him to watch their "babies." Ultimately, all the babies but Lilith and the one belonging to Danny and Valerie ended up as cookies, because Tucker's mom thought that all the flour Tucker had around the house was bought by him so she could bake with it.

As weird as the whole project was, it's hard to believe that, ten years later, I'm carrying a real baby. One that was created by the love Danny and I already had for each other at the time of the project, but were just too scared to admit then.

"Hey, Danny, how do you think you would've reacted if we'd been paired together as parents of a flour baby?"

"I don't know, Sammy," he admitted. "But I think it would've been extremely awkward, considering how we felt for each other at the time. Although it would've been nice to work with someone who wasn't trying to get rid of a part of me."

Danny reached across the table and took my hand in his, lifting it to his lips to kiss the back of it. "But all that doesn't matter now, because in a few months we'll have a real baby to care for. One that will be ours, and be the ultimate reminder of the love we have for each other," he said, looking me in the eyes as he spoke. "I love you, Sammy."

"And I love you, Danny," I answered, smiling and squeezing his hand.

My soup arrived at that moment, along with his salad. Suddenly craving salad, I took one look at my soup and quickly switched it with his salad.

"That's my Sammy," he chuckled. "I had a feeling you'd end up wanting salad after all."

* * *

After a delicious and very filling dinner, Danny and I made our way home. Even though it was Fall, the house was a bit stuffy, so we opened up a few windows, then sat on the couch and talked a bit. 

"So what's the verdict? Are we going to find out the sex of the baby or not?" Danny inquired, putting his arm around me as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"I don't know what to do. I really want to know, so we can start decorating the room and buying clothes. Yet I want it to be a surprise, especially because so many people have been telling me silly 'Old Wives' Tales' about how to determine the baby's sex. What do you want to do, my love?"

"I'm so excited to find out. But I think I want to wait. We can always choose clothes and room decorations in gender-neutral colors, like a soft yellow."

"True," I agreed. "In that case, let's wait until the birth to find out. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

A cool breeze kicked up, so Danny got up and closed the windows. I pulled a throw blanket off the back of the couch and covered my legs. Danny came and sat back down on the couch, and I snuggled up next to him.

"Did you have plenty to eat, Sammy?"

"Mm-hm," I nodded. "You?"

"Yes. Even after I gave you some of my carne asada," he teased.

"Hey, I was hungry," I answered.

"I know you were, beautiful. And I'm sure it's hard to eat all these things that you got used to avoiding, so I want you to know how proud I am of you, for sacrificing your normal eating habits for the sake of the baby," Danny said, kissing my cheek. He pushed my hair aside before nuzzling his face into my neck.

I sighed deeply as he lovingly kissed my neck. He gently reached around the front of me and rested his hands on my belly. We remained like that for a few minutes, before Danny started rubbing my back. As he did, I got a weird feeling in my belly, as if something was pressing against my skin from the inside. The feeling went away as quickly as it came.

I knew right away what had happened, and, without saying anything, reached behind me and grabbed one of Danny's wrists to stop him.

"What is it, Sammy?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Still not saying anything, I turned slightly and saw his hands resting at his sides. I grabbed them and put them on my belly, and almost as soon as I did, the feeling returned. It was one of the most wonderful feelings in the world.

Without seeing Danny's face, I could tell he was wearing a broad smile. "Is that what I think it is?" he inquired, as if it were only a dream.

I nodded my head.

And that's how we fell asleep, in our regular clothes, on the couch, his arms around my belly, with the baby kicking away.

* * *

I awoke around 6:00 and carefully released myself from Danny's arms to use the restroom. I guess we must have been exhausted, because it appeared that both of us had hardly shifted throughout the night. 

I returned to the living room and found that Danny had awoke.

"Good morning," I smiled at him.

"Why did you get up?" he asked, stretching.

"I had to use the restroom. Did you sleep well?"

"Mm-hm," he answered, getting up and walking over to me. "Did you?"

"Yes. I woke up a few times, but finally stayed asleep once the baby stopped kicking."

"I still can't believe how far along you are already," Danny said, giving me a kiss. "Only about five more months."

"I know, I can't believe it, either," I agreed.

"Do you think we'll have a boy or girl?"

"Danny, I thought we agreed not to find out until the birth."

"I know, Sammy. I'm just curious what you think."

"Well, I don't know, Danny. I'd be happy with either sex, as long as the baby's healthy. And although part of me believes in those superstitions, I really have no idea."

"Hey, I have an idea."

"What's that, Danny?"

"What do you say we do some shopping for the baby's room? I know we have a few months, but I can't wait to pick out the furniture and the color scheme," he said excitedly.

"Okay," I agreed. I couldn't wait, either.

Danny made breakfast, and we ate it before taking a hot shower together. I put on a robe and stood in front of the closet, trying to decide what to wear. Even though I was barely showing, I already had a lot of maternity clothing.

"How about this?" Danny suggested, pulling out dark jeans and a hot pink, cashmere sweater.

"You want me to wear pink?" I teased.

"You did when Desiree erased my memory of you, and you tried to get my attention," he reminded me, referring to a time when I got mad at him, and a ghost that grants wishes made him forget he met me.

"Yeah, but that was a one-time deal," I said.

"Then how come you wanted this sweater so badly?"

"Okay, you got me there," I conceded. He and I grinned at each other, both knowing what a "girly-girl" I am now.

I took the outfit and laid it on the bed. As I picked out my undergarments, he was still looking through his side of the closet. That's why it surprised me when he showed up in front of me so quickly, as I prepared to dress.

He guided my hands from the sash of the robe, lifting them to his lips to kiss them.

"Allow me," he insisted, dropping my hands. He reached for the sash and untied it, letting go of it. He gave me a heated kiss as his hands went up to my shoulders, and he slid off the robe, allowing it to drop to the floor.

"I love you, Sammy," he whispered, just before his lips found mine once again.

"I love you, too, Danny, but how about we save this for later," I whispered back.

"Okay. Then I'm going to plan something special for us. But don't you go asking me any questions, because I want it to be a surprise," my husband smiled mysteriously. "Now, how about we get dressed and head to the mall."

* * *

"You know, Sam, I forgot to tell you about something that happened last weekend, when your parents called," Danny informed me as he drove us to the mall. 

"What's that?"

"Well, while I spoke with your mom, she mentioned that she had a book of Hebrew names that your dad's mom gave to her when she was pregnant with you. And she asked me if we wanted to use it."

"What did you say?"

"I said thank you, and that we would like to have it very much. I know you don't really practice Judaism, but if you want to give our baby a Hebrew name, I have no problem with it. At any rate, I wanted to surprise you with the book, so I picked it up yesterday from the post office, but forgot to take it out of the car. It should be in the backseat."

I turned around and found the package on the floor behind my seat. I picked it up, setting it in my lap and opening it. I removed the book and began to flip through it, reading off names and their meanings to Danny. We already had another name book that Jazz had given to us, but most of the names were newer. Danny and I both knew we wanted our child to have a more old-fashioned name.

As Danny searched for a parking space, I found two sets of names that I loved, one for a boy, and one for a girl. After he turned off the car, I showed them to him, and I could tell he agreed with me. Not only were they wonderful names, but their meanings held special significance for us. I marked the pages and set the book down, as Danny got out and walked around to my side of the car, opening my door for me.

"Shall we, my dear?" he flashed a loving smile, extending his hand.

"Yes, we shall," I smiled back, unbuckling my seatbelt. I grabbed my purse and took Danny's hand, and he helped me out of the car, closing the door behind me.

He locked the car and dropped the keys into his front pocket. We walked into the mall, holding hands and talking. I felt the baby kick again, and put my free hand to my belly, patting it gently. Danny took notice and grinned broadly.

"I love you, my beautiful wife. You, too, my little baby," he said before we entered the first store, putting a hand on my belly to feel the baby kick, then giving me a kiss.

* * *

**Please review! A huge thank you!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello, and welcome to chapter ten! There are only two chapters left after this, and I have a general idea of what will be included in them. At any rate, on with the chapter! And thanks to my reviewers- Chris Brown's Number 1 Gurl; hamanor12; Fairly Odd Phantom Fan; kpfan72491; Queen S of Randomness 016; RasenganFin; and hermie-the-frog (for two reviews).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Danny Phantom_ TV series, in whole or in part.**

* * *

Danny and I shopped for a few hours before stopping to eat lunch. We saw some furniture we liked, but decided to wait until closer to the birth of the baby, instead of having it sit for five months in the baby's room, collecting dust. 

After eating at a coffee shop, we went to a paint store to look at colors for the baby's room. We settled on a mint green with a white trim, and also picked out some teddy bear stickers with a special adhesive allowing them to be peeled off easily, once the baby got too old for the theme. We also picked out a white border with a teddy bear motif that would run along the tops of the walls, where they met the ceiling. Since the paint was a custom color, Danny arranged to pick up all the materials later that week.

When Danny and I got home, he told me he needed to make some arrangements, but wanted them to be a surprise. As he made some calls in our room, I laid down on the couch, lost in thought.

I couldn't believe that I would be giving birth in only a few months. Although I was excited, I also felt quite nervous, especially when I remembered that Danny would be going with me to my Monday afternoon appointment with Dr. Sanderson. What if she could tell the sex of the baby, and Danny or I broke down and decided to find out, breaking our agreement to be surprised?

Another thought entered my mind. What if I had a daughter? I knew I'd love a daughter, but I was worried about Danny. He told me that he'd be happy with either, but what if he has his heart set on a son being born first? Or what if this is the only child I have, and Danny never gets a son? Don't most men want a son to carry on the family name?

As I pondered this, I felt tears begin to sting my eyes. _Stupid hormones_, I thought. Not wanting to fight my tears, I let loose.

I was still crying when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I wiped my eyes and looked up.

"What's the matter, Sammy?" my husband asked, concerned. He put his hand on my cheek, gently rubbing it with his fingertips.

"Nothing, Danny. I just started thinking about something, and the next thing I knew, I was crying."

"What was it that upset you?"

"It's not anything important."

"Well, yes, it is, if it made you cry."

I averted my gaze from Danny, embarrassed for thinking that he would be upset if I had a daughter.

"Come on, Sam, you know you can tell me," he prompted.

"Okay," I said. "I'm scared that you won't be as happy if I have a daughter," I barely whispered.

"What was that?"

"I'm scared that you won't be as happy if I have a daughter," I repeated, my voice faltering.

"Sammy, whatever would make you think that?" Danny asked, sitting down next to me and pulling me into a hug.

"I don't know," I admitted, sobbing onto his shoulder. "I started thinking about my next appointment with Dr. Sanderson, and wondering if she'd be able to figure out the baby's sex. And I guess I just got carried away."

"Shh, stop crying, Sammy, it's okay."

"You mean you're not mad?" I asked shakily, wiping my eyes once again.

"Of course not, my beautiful wife. I know that you have gone through a lot of changes, and that sometimes the hormones get the best of you."

"I'm sorry, Danny, for thinking that of you."

"It's okay, Sam," Danny insisted, pulling back from the hug to look into my eyes. "Just calm down now," he added, leaning in to kiss my tears away.

"Okay," I said, taking several deep breaths.

I finally calmed down after a moment and got up to wash my face. When I returned to the living room, Danny patted his lap, and I sat in it. He carefully wrapped his arms around me, placing his hands on my belly and resting his head on my shoulder.

"Remember how I told you earlier that I have a surprise for you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Well, I want you to start getting ready soon. We'll be leaving around 3:30."

"Okay," I said. He released his arms, and I turned around slightly and kissed him before getting up to go get ready. As I entered the hall, something occurred to me. "How shall I dress?" I called out to Danny.

"Wear something nice, but comfortable. And dress warm," he answered.

"Alright."

I went into the bedroom and closed the door. Even though it was just the two of us, I had become quite self-conscious of my body because of the weight gain, and had gotten into the habit of shutting the door when I dressed.

I had finished readying myself and was admiring my reflection, when I heard a knock at the door. "It's unlocked," I called.

Danny entered, and his jaw dropped to the floor. "You look stunning, my love."

"All I did was change my pants, put up my hair, and put on earrings," I said, blushing.

"Yes, but you still look amazing. I can tell you wanted to dress up for me, but you don't look too fancy," he explained. "Are you almost ready to go?"

"Yep. And you?"

"Yes, I'm just going to change really quick."

Danny went to the closet and pulled out a different shirt. I sat on the bed to put on my shoes, but found myself distracted when he removed the shirt he had worn earlier.

I started to drool slightly as I saw his sculpted muscles, which had resulted primarily from all his ghost fighting. Although we'd been together for years, and I'd seen him shirtless countless times, I still couldn't believe that that ripped physique belongs to my husband.

Danny caught me staring and chuckled. "You're catching flies, Sammy," he teased.

I closed my mouth and returned to putting on my shoes, all the while fantasizing about running my hands over his abs.

* * *

The afternoon and evening seemed to race by, as Danny and I enjoyed a "rockumentary" about one of our favorite bands and ate at a seafood restaurant. Before we knew it, it was 8:00, and we were sitting on a park bench, cuddling and talking under the stars. 

"It's getting a bit chilly," Danny observed after awhile. "Ready to go home?"

"Mm-hmm."

Danny and I got up and made our way back to the car. We arrived at home about fifteen minutes later, and he asked me to wait in the car, informing me that he had yet another surprise.

Danny finally came to get me after a few minutes, putting his hand over my eyes once we were back in the house. He led me to the hall, and removed his hand from my eyes.

I looked around, and noticed there was a trail of rose petals sprinkled on the floor. I followed them into our bedroom, which was lit only by candles.

I gasped and turned to give Danny a kiss, and saw him smiling broadly, his eyes flashing a bright green. Saying nothing, he swept me into his arms, leaning over me and kissing me deeply. He scooped me up and laid me on the bed, quickly relieving me of my coat and shoes.

"What got into you?" I managed to say.

"I just want to show you how much I love you," he answered. He leaned closer to my ear and lowered his voice. "And how much I want to make you mine," he whispered seductively, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"Be my guest," I whispered back.

Danny sat on the bed, leaning over me. He bent over and kissed me, and our tongues met and fought for control.

Once we broke apart, my hands flew to his shirt, and I unbuttoned it, sliding it off and tossing it aside. I sat up and removed his undershirt, delighting in the sight of his muscles. I ran my hands over them, causing him to groan deeply.

Danny gently pushed my hands away, and began to remove my clothing. Soon just the bottom halves of both of us were dressed, but that didn't last long.

Once we were fully revealed to each other, he began to trail kisses all over me. After a few minutes, he stopped and laid on his side, facing me and staring deeply into my eyes.

"I love you, my beautiful wife," he whispered. His face was full of desire as he pulled the covers over us.

* * *

Some time later, Danny sat up slightly and blew out the candles. 

"Are you warm enough, my love?" he inquired.

"Yes, I'm fine," I informed him.

He laid back down and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer.

"You're so amazing," he whispered, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"So are you," I smiled back.

It was quiet for a moment before Danny opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again.

"What is it, Danny?"

"I don't know if I should bring this up right now."

"Please do."

"Well, Sammy, you seemed a bit uncomfortable. Did I hurt you?"

"Not at all, Danny," I assured him. "It's just that..." my voice trailed off.

"It's just what, Sam?"

"It's just that I've been feeling so self-conscious. You know, because of the weight gain. I know you've told me before that you will always love me no matter my weight, and I don't doubt that for a second. It just feels so strange. I've gained fifteen pounds already, and it feels like it's all gone right to my chest and belly."

"Sam, I realize that you've gone through a lot. But I don't want you to worry. You take such good care of yourself that I'm sure once you have the baby, you'll lose the weight easily. But for now, the weight gain is just all a part of pregnancy.

"It may seem easy for me to speak, since I'm not the one carrying a child. Even so, I really believe that you must learn to just take everything as it comes. You can only control your weight gain so much, and I don't want you obsessing over your bodily changes. After all, they're not permanent."

"You're right," I admitted. "I just wish I could stop getting so hung up over the weight thing. After all, I have more curves than ever, and I must admit I'm enjoying having them, because I've always been so skinny."

"I'm enjoying them, too," Danny grinned. "You're certainly not going to get any complaints from me."

"Yeah, I figured that," I laughed. "I love you, Danny."

"I love you, too, Sammy. And I'm glad to see you smiling so much."

"I have you to thank for that. You know exactly what to do to cheer me up."

"And what would that be?" Danny inquired, raising his eyebrows.

I leaned close to his ear. "I think you know," I whispered softly.

"As a matter of fact, I do," he whispered back, pulling me into his lap.

* * *

Come Monday afternoon, Danny and I were in Dr. Sanderson's office. I was laying down, getting a sonogram, while Danny sat in a chair near me, holding my hand. Our eyes were riveted on the screen as the doctor pointed out different things. 

"Your baby has a good strong heartbeat," she told us. "Now, if it moves its leg, then I can determine its sex."

I immediately saw the leg shift, and gasped.

"Well, how about that?" Dr. Sanderson smiled. "Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, would you like to know the sex of your baby?"

"No," Danny and I said in unison.

"Okay, so you want to be surprised? Well, then I will write a note in the chart for the nurse to cover the genitals in the images of each one of your sonograms from this point, Mrs. Fenton."

"Thanks," I told the doctor.

The doctor continued to do the sonogram for another moment or two. "Well, everything looks great," she commented. "Wait, what's this?"

I inhaled deeply, and I could feel Danny tighten his grip on my hand. "What's wrong, Dr. Sanderson?" he asked.

The doctor put her stethoscope to my belly, sliding it around. "I believe I hear another heartbeat." She looked back up at the sonogram screen, squinting at it. "Well, I'll be. How could I not have seen it before?"

"Seen what?" I asked, nervous.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, congratulations. You'll be having twins."

* * *

**Please review! Many thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again! Welcome to chapter eleven! Just a reminder: this is the next to the last chapter. I have decided how I wish to end the story, but am not sure of the timetable for posting the last chapter. Hopefully, however, it won't take as long as this chapter did. Thanks to my reviewers- hamanor12; RasenganFin; Queen S of Randomness 016; The-Writing-Princess; hermie-the-frog; Tevagirl 16; Innocently-Guile; phantomphriend; surfchik; and Fairly Odd Phantom Fan.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of the _Danny Phantom_ TV series.**

* * *

With Danny and Tucker's help, Valerie and I wadded into the restaurant. It was February 1, and I was in my eighth month of pregnancy, with only two weeks until my due date, and she was due only four weeks after me. Our loved ones had decided to throw one baby shower for the both of us. We intended to have it sooner, but I'd been on bed rest for a few months, and by the time I got the doctor's clearance, the restaurant was already booked solid for a month. 

Danny and Tucker finished helping us inside and made sure we were seated comfortably before bidding farewell and leaving to do "guy stuff." Meanwhile, all the guests had already arrived and were surrounding us, hugging us carefully and giving hearty congratulations.

I looked around the room, surprised that everyone we'd invited had managed to make it. Our guests included my mom, Jazz, Maddie, Tucker's mom, and even Paulina and Star, two girls from the popular crowd in high school that we never expected to stay in contact with after graduating.

And those were just the humans.

I don't know how Danny talked us (or them) into it, but some ghosts were there as well. Don't ask me why! Perhaps Danny was hoping that they'd provide us some protection or something. At any rate, the Lunch Lady and Boxed Lunch were both present, as well as Ember, Kitty, and Desiree. But I guess it was only fair, considering many of Danny's old enemies had since become allies, and also because the twins would most likely be part-ghost, although to what extent remained to be seen.

The group of us spent some time chatting while the staff prepared and set up the food. Valerie and I had settled mostly on finger foods just to make things easier.

Once everyone finished eating, we proceeded to playing games, which took up a good hour. We then chatted some more before it was time to open the gifts.

I had already received much of my gifts over the last two months, and many of them were in the babies' room. They included two bassinets; two cribs; two matched sets of bedding that included white sheets with brown teddy bears on them and a white comforter; a dresser; two changing tables; two rocking chairs; and two strollers with detachable car seats/carriers.

At the shower, I received a bunch of clothes; extra sheet sets; two diaper bags; blankets; and gift cards for department stores so that I could buy anything else I wanted/needed. Valerie received pretty much the same things, and we agreed that we hold onto our gift cards for a few months and go shopping together. By then, we would how big our babies would be, and they would need new clothes for summer, anyway. Since it was still winter, much of the clothing we'd received for them already was designed for the cold weather.

Once the shower ended, the guests hugged and kissed us good-bye, and we called Danny and Tucker to come pick us up. They arrived about ten minutes later and helped us out of our chairs. The restaurant staff was nice enough to gather our things and carry them out to the car for us.

As Danny helped me up, I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my belly that made me wince. Thinking perhaps it was just indigestion, I shrugged it off. Several minutes later, Danny and I had just dropped off Tucker and Valerie, when the pain returned.

"What's wrong, Sammy?" Danny asked, apparently noticing my grimace.

"Just some cramps," I said.

"You okay?"

"I'll be fine."

Just as we turned onto our street, I knew everything wasn't fine.

"Danny, take me to the hospital."

"What?" he asked nervously.

"My water just broke. It's time!"

"Okay, we're almost home. I'll run in and get the suitcase, and then we'll be on our way. I'll call our families once you're checked into the maternity ward."

Danny pulled into the driveway and ran inside the house, nearly dropping his keys in his haste. While he was inside, I felt the contraction return, and it lasted for several seconds.

Despite the cold air, I broke into a sweat, and rolled down the window. "DANNY!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

* * *

"Auughh!" I roared as another contraction hit me. After being sent home a few times because I wasn't dilated enough, I had been in the hospital for about twenty hours. The contractions had been coming roughly every two minutes for the last hour or two. 

Dr. Sanderson came in and checked me again. "Ten centimeters dilation," she announced. "It's time to start pushing, Mrs. Fenton. Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," I growled.

Danny lovingly squeezed my hand as I prepared for the process we'd learned in Lamaze class. But as another contraction came on, pain coursed through me, and I put a death grip on his hand. I could hear him hiss, but he didn't dare pull his hand away.

I spent what felt like hours going through cycles of pushing and resting. But in reality, it had only been about a half-hour.

"I can see the head!" Dr. Sanderson proclaimed excitedly. "Now let's just get these shoulders through! Come on, give me one more big push!"

I pushed with all that was in me, and the first baby came out at 4:00 pm.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton! You have a little boy!" Dr. Sanderson announced, wrapping the baby in a towel and gently wiping his eyes, nose, and mouth.

I heard a cry a few seconds later, and tears began to stream down my face. I looked up at Danny and noticed he was crying, too.

Dr. Sanderson allowed him to cut the umbilical cord, tying it off before handing him our son, as the nurses readied for the second baby.

"Okay, Mrs. Fenton, you're doing great! Just one more baby!" the doctor said, as another contraction hit. The nurse showed me my baby boy for a few seconds, allowing me to kiss his forehead before leaving to clean him up, test him, and measure him.

I went into several more cycles of pushing and resting, with Danny at my side all the while, still holding my hand and wiping the sweat off me with a rag. I was amazed and very thankful regarding how calm and helpful he had been throughout the whole process. Finally, at 4:15, the second baby was born.

"You have a little girl! Congratulations!" the doctor announced. Once again, the baby was placed in a blanket and her face wiped clean. The baby cried out as Danny cut the umbilical cord, and Dr. Sanderson tied it off before handing my baby to me.

"Hello, little angel," I smiled down at her. Danny and I each kissed her forehead before she, too, was removed from the room to be cleaned up, tested, and measured.

Danny leaned over me and gave me a kiss. "I love you, new mommy," he smiled.

"And I love you, new daddy," I smiled back.

His hand went to my cheek, and he gently stroked it, wiping away the tears. I did the same for him, as we continued grinning at each other, crying tears of happiness. We stayed that way for the next several minutes, staring in each other's eyes and grinning.

The doctor and nurses returned with both babies, handing our son to me and our daughter to Danny. My husband and I were relieved to learn that although the babies would not be able to go home for a few days, so they could gain more weight, both appeared healthy and responsive.

"Mrs. Fenton, it's time for the first breastfeeding," Dr. Sanderson informed me after a few minutes. "Would you like for your husband to stay with you?"

I looked at Danny, and he nodded his head. "Yes, that's fine," I answered.

Dr. Sanderson helped me loosen the hospital gown and position my son. I had chosen to feed him first because he had been born first, and because I was already holding him.

He had fallen asleep, so one of the nurses took a small, damp cloth and rubbed his cheeks to get him to wake up. As soon as he did, I put him to my breast, careful not to smother him. He resisted at first, but finally took to it after a moment and began to feed.

Once he was done, the doctor took him and showed me how to burp him, then handed my daughter to me before handing my son to Danny. My daughter was still awake, but she, too, took a moment to start feeding.

After she was burped, it was time to say good-bye. The twins had to be taken to the nursery, so that both I and they could rest.

I started to cry again as I watched them being wheeled away. I knew it had to be done, but I had already grown so attached to them that I could hardly bear it.

The nurse made sure I was comfortable and asked if I needed anything. I requested visitors, and she told me it was okay, but only three at a time, and no longer than ten minutes each.

Danny's family came in first, hugging and kissing both of us. Dash had stayed home with Michelle and Jack, as they were too young to visit. After ten minutes, the nurse led the three to the nursery to see the babies, and my parents and grandmother came in. They, too, went to the nursery once their ten minutes were up.

Danny and I talked quietly for a few minutes, and I finally fell asleep around 5:15. I awoke nearly two hours later and noticed that he was napping in his chair. The nurse came in with my dinner, and the smell awoke Danny. The two of us shared the food, and once the dishes were cleared away, the babies were brought into the room so that I could breastfeed them again.

Just after they finished feeding, Dr. Sanderson entered the room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, I just realized that you have not yet picked out names for your children. I apologize for not asking you earlier for the names. If you have some picked out, please inform me of them so that I can complete the birth certificates."

Danny and I looked at each other. "Have we decided on names yet, Sam?" he asked me.

"Umm, Dr. Sanderson, if you don't mind, I'd like a few minutes to discuss some names with Danny. We have some ideas, but I want to be sure before we name the babies."

"I understand. In that case, I'll come back around 8:30."

"Okay, thanks, doctor," I said.

Danny and I kept staring at our babies, amazed at how beautiful they were.

"So, what should we name them?" I finally asked.

"I like the names you picked out a few months ago. I think they are nice, and very fitting. I also like how they sound with our last name."

I had been ruminating the names in my head for the last few months. I must've flipped through the name book thousands of times, wanting to be sure. But, really, I had been sure all along, ever since I found the names.

I reached for my baby boy and gently scooped him up, cradling him in my arms. He opened his eyes a little, then promptly closed them again.

"Somebody's sleepy," I cooed. "But before you and your sister get too cozy, Daddy and I need to pick out names for you two."

Danny picked up our daughter and cradled her in his arms, and we began staring at them again, big grins creasing our faces.

The babies were small, having been born prematurely, but the doctor had told us that that was to be expected with twins. Both of them had fair skin, still a bit red. Their heads were covered with thick, dark brown hair, a shade somewhere between Danny's hair and mine. Both had gray eyes, and we wouldn't know for sometime what eye color they would end up having. I wondered if our daughter would look like me, and our son like his dad. I'd wanted it to be that way for a long time, ever since Danny and I had started dating, for I'd already known then that we would eventually marry and have children.

Dr. Sanderson returned at 8:30 and explained that the babies would have to return to the nursery for the night after the birth certificates were filled out. They would be bottle-fed the remainder of their stay in the hospital, as I probably wouldn't be able to produce enough milk on my own to feed them every three hours, at least not until my body had a few days to adjust.

Dr. Sanderson filled out all the information but the babies' names. She showed us the certificates and asked if everything was correct. We said yes, and then it came time to officially name the twins.

"Have you decided on names, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton?"

"Yes," Danny and I said with a nod.

"Okay, how about your son first."

Danny and I glanced at each other and smiled.

"One of you has to tell me eventually," the doctor smiled.

"Go ahead, Sam," Danny prompted.

I drew a deep breath. I didn't understand why I was so nervous, but I knew I wasn't alone. While some new parents seem to know all along what they want to name their children, I'm sure even they experience doubt at times. And at the moment, I guess I was worried that somehow the names I picked would scar my kids for life if they weren't just right.

"You know, Sam, if they hate the names that much, they can always change them legally once they are eighteen," Danny teased.

"Ha ha," I said sarcastically, then smiled to show him that I knew he was only joking, before turning my attention to the doctor.

I drew another deep breath. No turning back now!

"Danny and I have agreed to name our son Caleb Daniel Fenton."

"Wonderful name," Dr. Sanderson grinned, writing the name down. "And for your daughter?"

"Ziva Abigail Fenton."

"Such beautiful names," the doctor commented. "How do you spell Ziva?"

"Z-I-V-A."

"Okay, then, we're all done here. I just need you two to look over the birth certificates once more and sign them, and then I'll be on my way, and the babies will return to the nursery."

Danny and I signed the certificates and said good night to the twins.

"Good night, Ziva Abigail Fenton. I love you," I said, kissing our daughter on the forehead.

"Good night, Caleb Daniel Fenton. I love you," Danny said, kissing our son on the forehead.

We then traded and finished saying good night to the twins before the nurses came and took them back to the nursery. Danny and I thanked Dr. Sanderson, and she left the room, bidding us good night and telling us to call her if we needed anything.

A nurse came in one last time to see that I was comfortable, and I asked her if Danny could stay in the room with me. She said yes, and requested a cot for him, so he wouldn't have to sleep in the chair.

Another nurse came in with the bed, and the two set to work unfolding it right next to mine and putting sheets and blankets on it. Assuring that Danny and I were both comfortable, they finally took their leave around 9:30.

Danny and I talked quietly for several minutes before sleep began to overwhelm us.

"Good night, Sammy. I love you," Danny whispered, kissing me one last time.

"I love you, too, Danny. Good night."

And, with that, we both fell asleep.

* * *

**Please review! Thank you so much!**


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